Tesla makes the cut on California’s newest EV Rebate program

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 168 into law on July 13, 2026, launching the $270 million MyFirstEV rebate program funded equally by the state and automakers, replacing the expired $7,500 federal EV tax credit. First-time buyers can receive $3,500 off new EVs priced up to $50,000 or $1,750 for used EVs under $25,000, applied at purchase; Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y qualify, while pricier models like the Model X and Cybertruck do not. The program, launching this summer, also exempts California-based automakers like Rivian and Lucid from price caps, disadvantaging Tesla due to its Texas headquarters.