It hasn’t even been one week since the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) published their complete list of electric vehicles (EVs) that are eligible for the new $7,500 EV tax credit in the US, and Tesla fans and owners are still (rightfully) upset that the most popular configurations of the Model Y are not eligible for the credit.
That is because the IRS classified the five seat variants of the Model Y as a passenger vehicle, which comes with a $55,000 MSRP limit, and not an SUV, which comes with a higher $80,000 MSRP limit. With the Model Y priced above $55,000 that distinction means the five seat Model Y is not eligible, even though plug-in hybrid SUVs are, which essentially goes against the intentions of the plan.
https://twitter.com/DriveTeslaca/status/1610043652402999296
We have since come to learn that the IRS considers a vehicle to be an SUV based on its weight, and since Tesla was able to engineer the Model Y to be the most efficient electric SUV, it is under that limit by about 200lbs.
Fortunately you can let the government know what you think as the period for written public comments on the EV tax credit is now open. Comments must be submitted by February 28, 2023 to be considered. (h/t: @TeslaHype)
You can read more about the tax credit and the submission process here, but here is what you need to know.
- Email: pra.comments@irs.gov
- Mail: Andres Garcia, Internal Revenue Service, Room 6526, 1111 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20224
- Subject link: OMB Control No. 1545-2137
- Type in the body of the email that you think the Model Y five seat variants should be classified as an SUV and receive the $80,000 MSRP limit
