The Nissan Leaf was one of many electric vehicles to lose the EV tax credit when the current rules went into effect. However, Nissan says that’s no longer the case as of today.
The important bit to know right now is that if you buy and place into service a 2024 model year Nissan Leaf between now and December 31, 2023, you’ll be eligible for a $3,750 federal tax credit. Why now and not before? Nissan says that it “has been able to certify that 2024 LEAF vehicles produced in the U.S., meet the ’battery component’ requirements of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.”
That means that at least 50% of the battery components are either manufactured or assembled in North America. If Nissan wanted to qualify the Leaf for the full $7,500 credit, it would need to meet the critical minerals requirement portion of the Inflation Reduction Act, too.
Of course, there’s the question of what will happen once 2024 (on the calendar) hits, because more stringent rules will go into effect. The percentage of components manufactured in North America to qualify will increase and Nissan will need to re-certify the Leaf to make it eligible.
As of today, the base Leaf starts at $29,225, including its destination charge. Subtract the federal tax credit, and you’re looking at an effective total cost of $25,475. Meanwhile, the big battery Leaf Plus starts at $37,305 – subtract the tax credit from that, and $33,555 sounds a good bit more agreeable. However, we’ll note that you’ll need to act between now and the end of the year to take advantage of the tax credit, because Nissan hasn’t made any official announcements for what will be on offer after this calendar year is over.
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