Welcome back and Happy New Year!
As we enter the new year, we want to highlight new and upcoming developments within the electric vehicle (EV) market and rebate programs, the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, and the roll-out of the North American Charging Standard (NACS).
First: Federal Tax Credit
Back in December, we wrote a blog about all of the uncertainty related to federal EV programs, including the federal tax credit, due to the incoming administration’s stance on clean energy in general and EVs specifically. There’s still a lot of uncertainty, but the federal government has published a list of EVs that qualify for the federal tax credit in 2025. We’ll be keeping an eye on that in the coming weeks and months.
Readily Available
If you’re looking for a new car stat, here’s a list of EV models that are currently readily available. Most manufacturers will have both 2024 and 2025 models available; it’s important to double-check eligibility for incentives depending on the model year.
2024 Honda Prologue
The Honda Prologue is a widely popular EV, and for its $47,000 starting price, offers consumers a great deal. A compact SUV with a range of 296 miles, it outsold other popular models like the Chevrolet Equinox EV and the Ford Mustang Mach-E within its first few quarters on the U.S. market. This model stands out because it has a large seating capacity (it can seat seven), is available in all-wheel drive, and contains the Apple Car Play feature. Other features include steering assistance and safety sensors. Consumers can choose between three different offerings: a home charging station, a level 2 portable charging kit, or $750 worth of public charging credits at any EVGo charging station. The 2025 model is expected to be released in March 2025. The Honda Prologue qualifies for the federal tax credit, MOR-EV, and DRIVE in Rhode Island. DRIVE in Rhode Island.
2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV
The Chevrolet Equinox EV provides an excellent package for its sticker price. Starting at $33,600 with a 319-mile range, it was recently dubbed InsideEV’s first-ever Breakthrough Vehicle of the Year. Its recognition does not stop there, as the Equinox EV is considered a Best Car to Buy 2025 finalist by Green Car Reports. This compact SUV offers front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive trims. Several features include a route planner powered by Google, safety assistance, and wireless phone charging. The 2025 model is currently available for purchase, with the LT trim starting at $34,995 and the RS at $44,795. Both the LT and RS models qualify for the federal tax credit, as well as Massachusetts and Rhode Island state rebates. It is the most affordable all-electric car with a range over 315 miles.
2024 Hyundai Tucson PHEV
The Hyundai Tucson PHEV is a dynamic crossover with a starting price of $28,605. Offering an electric range of 32 miles, the Tucson PHEV has PA-estimated miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) of 77. This model seats five and features include a blind-spot view monitor, lane assistance, Apple CarPlay, and more. The 2025 model is available for purchase and offers five trims, with the lower end starting at $28,605 and the higher cost trim starting at $38,545. This vehicle offers consumers front wheel drive or all-wheel drive options. The Hyundai Tucson is eligible for the RI PHEV rebate; however, it is not eligible for the federal tax credit because it was not assembled in the United States, nor is it eligible for the Massachusetts state rebate.
Upcoming EVS
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 9
The upcoming Hyundai Ioniq 9 recently made headlines for being the first of its series to be a larger three-row SUV with a seating capacity of seven. Available information about this model is limited, but it is reported to be NACS native and assembled in the U.S. The Ioniq 9 is expected to go on sale in Spring 2025. The Hyundai Ioniq 9 qualifies for the federal tax credit but does not currently qualify for the Massachusetts or Rhode Island rebates. Again, if you are interested in a 7-seater, look at the Honda Prelude.
2026 Rivan R2
Rivian is expected to release the R2, advertised thus far as an adventure SUV, in the fall of 2026. The R2 will have a starting price of $45,000, a 300+ mile range, and a seating capacity of five. It is expected to be fast and able to reach 60 mph in three seconds. According to Car and Driver, the SUV will include features such as a large infotainment screen, wireless smartphone charging, and a voice assistant. We will update the Drive Green Community when more information about the R2 is published.
2025 Kia EV3
The Kia EV3, a subcompact SUV, is set to be released in late 2025. It is expected to have a range of 300 miles. The front-wheel drive trim will carry a 58.3 kWh battery, and another trim will have a larger battery at 81.4 kWh. The EV3 will contain features such as one-pedal driving, a large infotainment screen, and four new colors. It is estimated that the EV3 will start at $35,000 and offer an all-wheel drive option. We will update the Drive Green Community when we learn more about the EV3’s release.
Progress on Charging Stations
Rhode Island
You may recall that the federal National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program, or NEVI, has been rolling out in states across the country. In Rhode Island, the program provides $28.5 million across several years to contribute to the nationwide development of the Alternative Fuels Corridor (AFC) and the deployment of easily accessible DC fast chargers. We mentioned in our last Car Corner that Rhode Island was the first state in the nation to complete Phase 1 of the program. By then, four fast chargers were installed at two Park & Ride sites throughout the state. As of November 14th, Rhode Island began Phase 2, in which ten DC fast chargers and 100 Level 2 charging stations are to be deployed across the state. This phase includes a competitive application program, through which various entities, from public to academic institutions, municipalities, and businesses compete for funding to make the deployments happen. We are hosting a webinar with the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources on February 4th to discuss NEVI progress and Rhode Island’s EV incentive programs. You can register for the webinar here.
Massachusetts
This fall, MassDOT held eight NEVI open houses throughout the state. These community meetings were key components to the outreach process, a requirement to fulfill Phase 1. According to the MassDOT Deployment Plan, the state is using information gathered to inform the targeted deployment of DC and level 2 charging stations throughout the state. Some stations are being installed, and MassDOT expects work to pick up this spring.
Nationally
In early December, the US Joint Office of Energy and Transportation announced that the number of charging stations nationally had increased by 12,000 in the previous three months. That includes some NEVI stations (the number of available NEVI ports increased 83% from quarter 3 to quarter 4 last year, nationally!) but also reflects investment outside of the program. At the end of December, there were 144,823 Level 2 and 49,604 DC fast chargers available across the country. Many states across the country are in their second or third round of NEVI awards or are accepting solicitations to install more chargers along the Alternative Fuels Corridor, so that number will keep increasing.
EV Charging Standards: Updates from Major Automakers
In our last Car Corner, we broke down the NACS standardization process for four major automakers (Ford, Rivian, General Motors, and Kia). (As a reminder, “NACS” is the new North American Charging Standard that all major automakers are converging on.) Now that we are moving into the winter, automakers are continuing to manufacture and make available NACS charging ports at a slow and steady pace.
- Ford: Though Ford first made its NACS adapter free to customers, it’s now available for purchase. In October, it was reported that an unspecified number of complimentary adapters were defective, but the issues only seem to have impacted a specific ‘batch’. As of the time that this Car Corner was written, Ford’s adapters are priced at $200 and are marked as out of stock. Last year, Ford announced that its 2025 models would be NACS natives, meaning that they would possess onboard NACS ports.
- General Motors: GM released its adaptor for purchase in September 2024 at $225, with free shipping and a one-year warranty. GM EVs are expected to contain the NACs port in model year 2026, despite originally being planned for model year 2025.
- Volvo: Beginning in November 2024, Volvo made the NACS adapter available for purchase with a price of $230. For buyers of the 2025 EX90, EX40, or EC40, Volvo is including the adapter for free. According to Volvo Car Newsroom, the NACS port will be included native on their EVs in model year 2025.
- Polestar: NACS adapters were available for purchase back in November 2024. All 2025 Polestar models are expected to be NACS natives and equipped with a CCS adapter to access non-Tesla fast chargers.
- Nissan: On December 10, Nissan opened their NACS adapter for purchase – exclusively for Ariya models. Their adapter is priced at $235 and is available for purchase online or in stores. Like other manufacturers, the NACS port will be included on Nissan EVs in model year 2025. It is unclear why the adapter is not currently available for the Nissan Leaf.
While most vehicles are expected to include the NACS port in model year 2025, the first vehicles we know for sure to have a native NACS port are the soon-to-be-available 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 and 2025 Kia EV6. For all other models, we are playing a waiting game, and we hope that we will begin seeing more EVs including the port as a native feature in 2025.
An Update on Rebates & Incentives
The past few months have been big for EV rebates and incentives.
A new EV rebate program, called Ride Clean Mass, opened for rideshare and taxi drivers in Massachusetts. Eligible drivers can save $6,500 on a new EV or $2,500 on a used EV. Eligible drivers can save up to $20,000 when the rebate is combined with state and federal incentives.
New Smart Charging Program for EV Drivers in Rhode Island
This fall, Rhode Island Energy debuted its Electrical Vehicle Demand Response (EVDR). To participate, participants can enroll their EV or smart charger; Rhode Island Energy then pauses charging during peak hours. Running from June to September, EVDR provides an opportunity for Rhode Islanders to contribute to shaving the peak and receive a $70 incentive for doing so. To read more about this program, check out this blog.
Yes, these are uncertain times.
As we wrote in our recent blog, there’s a lot of uncertainty over the future of the federal tax credit, fuel efficiency standards, and funding for electric vehicle infrastructure. As things develop, we will keep you as informed as we can. In the meantime, you can check out our new EV Finder for all the details on these vehicles and more!
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