Story perspectives

Newsom Launches $3,500 EV Rebate for First-Time Buyers

7/14/2026

Summary

Newsom Approves EV Rebate

Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 168, creating MyFirstEV with a $3,500 rebate for first-time EV buyers.
The program draws $135.5 million in state funds, creating a $270 million rebate pool.
Dealers give $3,500 off new EVs up to $50,000, with a California-headquarters exemption that lets Rivian and Lucid qualify.
The rebate sits in a $600 million zero-emission package that also funds $150 million for air protection and $135.5 million for clean-truck and bus vouchers.

Summary

Newsom Blames Trump

Governor Gavin Newsom accused President Donald Trump of polluting and surrendering clean-car industry to China while unveiling California’s EV rebate program.
President Trump’s June 2025 law ended the $7,500 EV tax credit and a $4,000 credit, causing EVs to fall to 7.8 % of U.S. sales in 2024.
California sued over the federal process that reversed EV-emissions rules for a 2035 gas-car phase-out, and rebate program spent $1.49 billion on 586,000 EVs.

Summary

Newsom funds ZEVs

$5 million will fund Level 1-2 zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) chargers in multifamily residences.
The $600 million package is financed by Cap-and-Invest revenue and smog-abatement fees.
California ZEV sales topped 2.5 million, beating the 2025 target, while demand for zero-emission bus and truck incentives more than doubled.
San Bernardino County launched the first hydrogen-powered passenger train for revenue service in September, while over 29,000 infrastructure projects appear on build.ca.gov under the Build More, Faster agenda.

1 of 3

Newsom Approves EV Rebate

Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 168, creating MyFirstEV with a $3,500 rebate for first-time EV buyers.
The program draws $135.5 million in state funds, creating a $270 million rebate pool.
Dealers give $3,500 off new EVs up to $50,000, with a California-headquarters exemption that lets Rivian and Lucid qualify.
The rebate sits in a $600 million zero-emission package that also funds $150 million for air protection and $135.5 million for clean-truck and bus vouchers.

1 / 3