• by Tanya Gazdik , 3 hours ago

President Trump's signature One Big Beautiful Bill Act might have squashed the electric vehicle tax credit effective Sept. 30, but several automakers are working with dealers to extend it. 

“Ford and General Motors are racing to sign up car dealers for programs that would effectively extend the use of a $7,500 U.S. tax credit on leases of electric vehicles beyond the Tuesday expiration of the federal subsidy, according to dealers and documents,” according to Reuters, which first broke the story. “Each company in recent days has rolled out programs to their retailers under which the automaker's financing arm would initiate the purchase of EVs in dealers’ inventory by making down payments on them, according to dealers briefed on the previously unreported programs and documents from the companies.”

Other automakers, including Stellantis, have not announced a similar program. 

"In a statement, the company said it ‘will continue to be aggressive in the marketplace to support our customers and future customers considering an electrified option,’” according to the Detroit Free Press. “Tax credit eligibility applies to retail leases only, according to documents outlining Ford's program obtained by the Detroit Free Press. Electric vehicle purchases and fleet vehicles do not apply.”

Ford and GM’s financing units will step in and provide down payments to dealers. 

“One of the dealers briefed on the program said the down payment will enable the vehicle to become eligible for the federal $7,500 EV tax credit,” according to Electrek. “By doing so, Ford and GM dealerships will be able to offer the credit for at least another few months through leasing.”

Ford is working with its dealers to offer competitive EV lease payments through Ford Credit until Dec. 31. A GM spokesperson said the deals exist "at participating dealers, while supplies last,” according to InsideEVs.