Will the EV tax credits started under the Biden administrations continue into the Trump years? Those EV tax credits, now known as the Clean Vehicle Credit, were significantly expanded and updated under the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, impacting vehicles purchased from 2023 to 2032. It looks like the Trump administration and Republican leaders in the House and Senate are looking at ways to cut the EV tax credits.
However, it might be similar to the EV tax credits from the Obama administration carried over to the first Trump administration. The Trump administration attempted to eliminate the tax credit for electric vehicles all the way through to their 2020 budget, though the provision never passed. The Clean Vehicle Credit could last even longer, unless Republican legislators can work with the president on ending it.
This time, it’s looking more likely to be altered with the Republican Party having the White House, Congress and Senate majorities. For now, car buyers will continue to tap into them as much as possible.
Consumer fear of missing out on EV rebates carried over to used EV sales, which reached record levels in Q4. Year end numbers showed an increase of 62.6% percent over 2023 numbers, and the used EV market share hit a record setting 1.9%.
In total, 6,529,191 PHEVs and BEVs have been sold since 2010 in the U.S. through February 2025, according to the U.S. Dept. of Energy. There’s enough of a long-term EV fleet out there that market analysts can evaluate more used vehicle price trends and market dynamics than they were able to do a decade ago.
October used EV sales increased 64% year over year, November sales increased 10% from October and 61% over 2023, and December sales grew 13% from November and 72% from 2023. Feedback from dealer partners concurs that this has been the case, according to Liz Najman, researcher at Recurrent.
The average listing price for used EVs was $38,057 in February 2025, reflecting a 1.8% increase month-over-month and a 1.6% increase year over year says Cox Automotive. Twelve brands had listing prices below those of their internal combustion engine (ICE+) models. Affordable options remain available, with 39% of units sold priced under $25,000.
Tesla still has a strong presence in the used EV market, according to Cox Automotive. In February, used electric vehicle sales declined by 4.7%, reaching 24,875 units in the U.S. Despite this decline, there was a year-over-year growth of 34.2%.
Tesla maintained its dominant position in the used EV market with a substantial 39.9% sales share, despite a 9.2% decline in month-over-month sales volume, according to Cox Automotive.
The 2023 Nissan Ariya won Recurrent’s Best Used Electric Car of 2025. It promises to be a reliable and steadfast car, with an accurate dashboard, very little range degradation, and most of its battery warranty left. It does particularly well in terms of winter weather performance, where it holds on to 83% of its max range at freezing temps, Recurrent said.
With a surge in EV leasing, consumers can expect a flood of used electric vehicles coming off lease, potentially offering good deals for buyers in the near future, especially in 2026, says Inside EVs.
Tesla and Rivian charging do well in study: Charging networks operated by Tesla and Rivian tended to have fewer problems than non-automaker efforts. That finding comes from a recent Consumer Reports survey of electric vehicle owners. — as covered in Green Car Reports. Respondents reported problems at Tesla charging stations 4% of the time, and 5% of the time at Rivian-operated chargers.
The challenges are much higher for other charging networks. Survey respondents said they experienced problems 48% of the time at Shell Recharge stations, 43% of the time at EVgo stations, and 41% of the time at Blink stations.
Consumer Reports data includes information from about 5,700 total charging sessions, from 1,230 EV and plug-in hybrid owners.
Trump tariffs and EV purchases: An S&P Global Mobility study from December provides some insight into what’s happening lately on the international automotive front as the Trump administration starts implements executive orders such as tariffs. If a 25% tariff in imports from Canada and Mexico were put in place, these key trading partners in the USMCA (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement) negotiated during the first Trump administration, will have a major impact on the market. Approximately one out of every four vehicles sold in the US comes directly from Canada or Mexico. These tariffs would also disrupt North American auto supply chains, as parts and components from the U.S., Canada, and Mexico flow freely between the three countries for their manufacturing plants.
Regarding electric vehicle purchases, one area that was discussed in the Trump presidential campaign, and with his new agency chiefs, is getting away from the electric vehicle tax credits, and the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for light, medium, and heavy-duty vehicles. One particular area of concern is the “lease loophole” in the Inflation Reduction Act, according to the S&P Global Mobility study.
That loophole allows car shoppers to consider leasing electric vehicles at more affordable rates, even if they don’t qualify for purchase tax credits.
“If this loophole is targeted for elimination, or if overall incentives are reduced, it could make BEVs even less accessible, especially as manufacturers may not have the same incentive to drive down prices or ramp up production,” the study said.
