Overview

• The IRS confirms the $7,500 new, used, and commercial clean‑vehicle credits are unavailable for vehicles acquired after Sept. 30, with August guidance preserving eligibility for buyers who signed binding contracts and paid by the deadline even if delivery comes later.
• Tesla increased U.S. lease rates after the credit expired, with Model Y leases now listed at $529–$599 a month and Model 3 at $429–$759, while sticker prices remain unchanged.
• Ford and GM rolled out captive‑finance programs in recent days that let their finance arms purchase dealer EV inventory ahead of the cutoff so the $7,500 benefit can be passed through in lease terms for a limited period.
• A pull‑forward of purchases is set to boost Tesla’s third‑quarter deliveries to the strongest quarter of 2025, though Reuters notes the tally could still trail last year and analysts see only a temporary lift.
• Executives and analysts warn of a steep October slowdown, with Ford’s Jim Farley saying EV share could slip to about 5% and studies including a CRS estimate pointing to a roughly 25%–30% near‑term sales decline, as some dealers pare EV allocations and rivals test incentives.