California MyFirstEV Rebate (2026): Who Qualifies, Which Brands Still Offer It, and What It Takes Off the Price
By GearUp Insights · Published Oct 17, 2026
Last checked October 17, 2026. Availability changes by automaker, so confirm with the dealer before you sign.
If you live in California and have never owned or leased a zero-emission vehicle — a battery-electric or hydrogen fuel-cell car — MyFirstEV can take up to $3,500 off your first one. The discount comes off the price at the dealership, so you don’t file a claim or wait for a check.
The catch is that it’s paid out brand by brand, and one brand has already run dry. Tesla’s share of the money is gone. Fourteen other brands are still offering the discount, and one more plans to start in November.
The short version
- $3,500 off a new EV, if its MSRP is $50,000 or less. California-headquartered automakers that build only zero-emission vehicles, such as Rivian and Lucid, are exempt from that cap.
- $1,750 off a certified pre-owned EV, if it sells for $25,000 or less and is at least two model years old. The same exemption applies to the used-car price cap.
- First-time buyers only. That means anyone who has never been on the registration or title of a zero-emission vehicle, owned or leased.
- No income limit. Once per person.
- Tesla is closed. CARB lists Tesla’s funds as no longer available.
What MyFirstEV is, and when it started
MyFirstEV is run by the California Air Resources Board (CARB).
- Funding: the state put in a one-time $135.5 million, and each participating automaker matches the state’s share. On a new car, the state pays $1,750 and the automaker pays $1,750. On a used car, each pays $875. (CARB program overview)
- Start date: California Climate Investments, the state fund behind the program, lists the incentive as launched on August 3, 2026. Governor Gavin Newsom and CARB announced it publicly on August 7. At that point only Hyundai, Lucid and Tesla were offering it, and other brands followed over the next several weeks.
- Deadline: the state’s money has to be spent by September 1, 2031. It’s first come, first served, though, and each automaker’s share can run out well before that. (CARB FAQ)
How many people have used it so far
On October 16, Reuters reported that nearly 12,000 California residents had bought EVs using the program. The governor’s office gave the same figure that day.
Neither source gave an exact count or said how many dollars have been paid out. CARB doesn’t publish how much money is left for each automaker either. The only official sign of a brand running out is the “closed” label on its list, and so far that applies only to Tesla.
Do you qualify?
Sources: CARB program overview and CARB FAQ.
*The price caps don’t apply to automakers that are headquartered in California and build only zero-emission vehicles. Rivian says this exemption covers its R1S and R1T. Lucid also advertises the $3,500 discount on its new cars.
What counts toward the $50,000 cap isn’t fully settled. CARB’s published materials don’t say whether options and destination fees count against the cap. Cadillac’s terms apply the cap to base MSRP, excluding options and destination. Other brands may handle it differently. If the trim you want is close to $50,000, ask the dealer to confirm in writing that the discount applies before you sign.
Which brands are offering it now
The table below reflects CARB’s participating-manufacturer list, which displays “Updated 8/31/2026” and which we rechecked on October 17. In total:
- 14 brands available
- 1 launching in November (Mitsubishi)
- 1 closed (Tesla)
The model notes come from each automaker’s own MyFirstEV or EV page. Where a brand doesn’t list eligible models, we say so.
Only Ford, Lucid, Rivian and Volvo currently offer the $1,750 used-car discount, according to CARB.
If you were shopping for a Tesla
You can still buy a Tesla, but not with MyFirstEV. CARB marks Tesla’s allocation “Closed: Funds no longer available.” It doesn’t say when the money ran out or whether it could come back.
Illustrative prices after a $3,500 MyFirstEV discount
The table below covers models that the automaker itself names as MyFirstEV-eligible.
- The published starting price comes from each automaker’s site on October 17, 2026.
- The illustrative price subtracts $3,500 and nothing else.
- These are not final out-the-door prices. They leave out sales tax, destination charges, registration and license fees, and any dealer add-ons or markups.
- We also couldn’t confirm how California sales tax treats the state and automaker portions of the discount.
- Automakers haven’t published trim-by-trim eligibility for every model, so confirm your exact trim with the dealer.
Notes on the published prices
- Kia’s starting MSRP explicitly excludes destination.
- Toyota’s figures are labeled “Base MSRP.”
- We couldn’t confirm whether Cadillac’s “From” price includes destination.
What the table shows: a flat $3,500 matters more on cheaper cars. It’s about a ninth of the EV3’s starting price but closer to a fourteenth on the OPTIQ, which starts just under the cap.
A conditional example: Chevrolet Bolt
Chevrolet is on CARB’s list as a participating brand. However, the page CARB links to doesn’t name eligible models, and we couldn’t find a Chevrolet statement confirming that the Bolt qualifies.
- Price: Chevrolet’s site lists the Bolt from $27,600.
- If it qualifies: the starting price would come down to $24,100, a 12.7% cut. That would be the biggest percentage drop of any model here.
- What to do: treat this as a what-if until a Chevrolet dealer confirms it in writing.
Used cars
The used discount works the same way, at $1,750. A certified pre-owned EV priced at $22,000 would come down to $20,250. One priced at $25,001 wouldn’t qualify unless it’s from a cap-exempt brand. These used prices are examples, not real listings.
Can you combine MyFirstEV with other incentives?
Yes. CARB says MyFirstEV can be stacked with:
- its income-qualified programs, the Driving Clean Assistance Program and Clean Cars 4 All;
- incentives from outside CARB.
You have to qualify for each one on its own terms. Those programs’ amounts vary by program and region, so check them directly.
What you can’t stack it with is the federal $7,500 clean vehicle credit, because it’s gone. The IRS says the credit is available only for vehicles acquired on or before September 30, 2025.
If you’ve owned an EV before, MyFirstEV isn’t for you. But the governor’s office noted that Toyota launched its own privately funded MyNextEV and MyLexusEV offers, which give $2,500 off an eligible Toyota or Lexus EV for people who have owned an EV before.
How to get the discount
There’s no application with the state. The incentive is handled at the dealership. (CARB FAQ)
- Confirm you’re a first-time EV owner. Check every name that will go on the registration and title.
- Pick a brand marked “available” on CARB’s list, then confirm the exact model and trim on the automaker’s page or with the dealer.
- Don’t order early. A car ordered before that automaker launched its incentive won’t qualify later.
- Sign CARB’s self-attestation form at the dealership. The discount is then applied to the deal.
- Register the car in California.
What the discount doesn’t change
$3,500 lowers what you pay up front. It doesn’t change what the car costs to run.
For how California’s EV market has held up without the federal credit, see our California EV sales report. Rebates in other states are covered in EV incentives by state.
FAQ
What is MyFirstEV?
A California discount for people buying or leasing their first zero-emission vehicle. It’s $3,500 off new or $1,750 off certified pre-owned, applied at the dealership.
Is there an income limit?
No.
Can I use MyFirstEV on a Tesla?
Not right now. CARB lists Tesla’s funds as no longer available.
Do plug-in hybrids qualify?
No. Only battery-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles qualify.
Does a lease count?
Yes. Leases qualify for the discount. A past EV lease in your name also counts as prior EV ownership, which would disqualify you.
I already bought my first EV. Can I get the money now?
No. The program isn’t retroactive.
How many people have used it?
Nearly 12,000 as of October 16, according to the governor’s office and Reuters. Official figures for dollars paid out haven’t been published.
Sources
All sources checked October 17, 2026.
Program rules and application
Participating brands
Launch date and usage
Federal credit and electricity prices
Automaker eligibility and prices