TLDR: Hyundai matches the expired $7,500 credit with cash through October plus permanent $9,800 price cuts on 2026 models, while GM and Ford engineer lease-only extensions via pre-qualified inventory claiming commercial credits. Tesla (70% → 38-46% market share since 2020) and Stellantis sit out, betting brand strength and profitability outweigh short-term volume as 163,000 units of dealer inventory face Q4’s anticipated demand cliff.
Major automakers responded to the October 1, 2025 expiration of federal EV tax credits with sharply divergent strategies: Hyundai deployed cash-to-customer incentives with permanent price cuts, GM and Ford gated the $7,500 via lease-only programs, while Tesla and Stellantis largely sat out. These approaches reflect different competitive positions, inventory pressures, and risk tolerance for the transition to unsubsidized demand. With approximately 163,000 EVs on dealer lots in late September and industry projecting 20-35% Q4 sales declines, manufacturers face inventory management challenges that temporary incentives partially address but cannot permanently solve.
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