California First-Time EV Buyers Get $3,500 Off - Here’s What You Need to Know

California just handed first-time electric vehicle buyers a solid reason to go green. Governor Gavin Newsom signed a new bill today that locks in a $3,500 discount on new EVs priced at $50,000 or less. Used EV shoppers aren’t left out either, they can snag $1,750 off models that cost $25,000 or under.

The catch? Not every automaker is on board yet, and the deals won’t start until later this summer.

The bill carves out a special exception for California-based automakers, meaning Lucid and Rivian, both with starting prices above $50K, can still qualify. Tesla, which moved its headquarters to Texas, won’t get that same break. But several Model 3 and Model Y trims fall under the $50,000 cap, so they could be eligible if Tesla signs on as a participating automaker.

The California Air Resources Board plans to release the official list of participating brands next month.

5 million from its 2026-2027 budget, and participating automakers are matching that to create a $270 million pool. That could triple the number of EVs available under $35,000. If General Motors joins, the Chevy Bolt could drop to around $25,495. Nissan’s Leaf would land just above $28,000.

And Ford, Subaru, and Toyota could also bring models into the mix. The discount is applied at the dealer, so no extra paperwork or rebate forms, just a lower price on the window sticker.