Credit Expired
The federal EV tax credit expired September 30, 2025.
The $7,500 federal Clean Vehicle Credit is no longer available for new Rivian purchases. Here's what happened, what it means for buyers ordering in 2026, and what incentives remain available.
8 min read · Last updated May 2026
Paste into the "Referral Code" field at Rivian checkout, or ask your Rivian advisor to add it before signing.
The Quick Answer
Federal credit status: Expired September 30, 2025 under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act
Lease loophole: Also expired — the Commercial Clean Vehicle Credit ended on the same date
Exception: Buyers who signed a binding contract AND made a payment before Sept 30, 2025 may still claim when taking delivery
Available incentives in 2026: Colorado $750 state credit, Xcel charger rebate, federal charger credit (through June 2026), Rivian Rewards referral
What happened to the federal EV tax credit
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law on July 4, 2025, eliminated the federal Clean Vehicle Credit effective September 30, 2025. Both the consumer credit (Section 30D, the direct-purchase credit) and the commercial credit (Section 45W, the “lease loophole”) ended on the same date.
Prior to expiration, the credit was worth up to $7,500 for new electric vehicles that met battery sourcing requirements, MSRP caps, and buyer income limits. Rivian vehicles qualified, and most buyers captured the credit through the lease pathway — which had no MSRP or income caps.
The law included a transition rule: buyers who signed a binding purchase contract and made a qualifying payment (including a deposit or trade-in) on or before September 30, 2025 may still claim the credit when they take delivery. The dealer must provide a time-of-sale report and file it with the IRS. If you think you qualify under this exception, verify with your specific dealer and consult a tax professional.
For buyers ordering a new Rivian in 2026, the federal credit is not available. The lease vs. buy decision now returns to traditional factors — monthly payment preference, mileage expectations, ownership horizon — without the $7,500 lease pathway advantage that made leasing so attractive through September 2025.
What incentives remain available in 2026
While the federal vehicle credit is gone, several incentives remain available for Rivian buyers. The Colorado state EV tax credit is $750 for 2026 (down from $3,500 in 2025). Xcel Energy charger rebates offer $500-$1,300 for Level 2 charger installation. The federal residential clean energy credit covers 30% of home charger installation costs, up to $1,000, through June 30, 2026.
The Rivian Rewards referral program remains available year-round. Use a referral code when configuring your Rivian to receive 500 Rewards points and 3 months of free Adventure Network charging — approximately $700 in total value.
For a typical Rivian buyer in Colorado, the remaining stack totals approximately $2,950-$3,750: $750 Colorado state credit + $500-$1,300 Xcel charger rebate + up to $1,000 federal charger credit + ~$700 referral value. This is significantly less than the $13,200+ possible through September 2025, but still meaningful savings.
Could the federal EV tax credit come back?
Possible but unknown. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act eliminated the credit as part of broader tax reform. Future legislation could restore some form of EV incentive, but no concrete proposals are currently pending in Congress.
Plan your purchase based on current law rather than speculation about potential restoration. If a new federal EV credit is enacted, it may have different eligibility rules, amounts, and timing than the previous program.
What you can stack in 2026
For a Colorado buyer purchasing a new Rivian in 2026, the realistic incentive stack looks like this:
Ready to configure?
Use the referral code to add 500 Rivian Rewards points and 3 months of free Adventure Network charging to your order.
Paste into the "Referral Code" field at Rivian checkout, or ask your Rivian advisor to add it before signing.