There shall be allowed as a credit against the tax imposed by this chapter for the taxable year an amount equal to the sum of the credit amounts determined under subsection (b) with respect to each new qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicle placed in service by the taxpayer during the taxable year.

The amount determined under this subsection with respect to any new qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicle is the sum of the amounts determined under paragraphs (2) and (3) with respect to such vehicle.

(1) In general The amount determined under this subsection with respect to any new qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicle is the sum of the amounts determined under paragraphs (2) and (3) with respect to such vehicle.

(2) Base amount The amount determined under this paragraph is $2,500.

(3) Battery capacity In the case of a vehicle which draws propulsion energy from a battery with not less than 5 kilowatt hours of capacity, the amount determined under this paragraph is $417, plus $417 for each kilowatt hour of capacity in excess of 5 kilowatt hours. The amount determined under this paragraph shall not exceed $5,000.

So much of the credit which would be allowed under subsection (a) for any taxable year (determined without regard to this subsection) that is attributable to property of a character subject to an allowance for depreciation shall be treated as a credit listed in section 38(b) for such taxable year (and not allowed under subsection (a)).

(1) Business credit treated as part of general business credit So much of the credit which would be allowed under subsection (a) for any taxable year (determined without regard to this subsection) that is attributable to property of a character subject to an allowance for depreciation shall be treated as a credit listed in section 38(b) for such taxable year (and not allowed under subsection (a)).

(2) Personal credit For purposes of this title, the credit allowed under subsection (a) for any taxable year (determined after application of paragraph (1)) shall be treated as a credit allowable under subpart A for such taxable year.

For purposes of this section—

The term “new qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicle” means a motor vehicle—

(A) the original use of which commences with the taxpayer,

(B) which is acquired for use or lease by the taxpayer and not for resale,

(C) which is made by a manufacturer,

(D) which is treated as a motor vehicle for purposes of title II of the Clean Air Act,

(E) which has a gross vehicle weight rating of less than 14,000 pounds, and

(F) which is propelled to a significant extent by an electric motor which draws electricity from a battery which— (i) has a capacity of not less than 4 kilowatt hours, and (ii) is capable of being recharged from an external source of electricity.

(2) Motor vehicle The term “motor vehicle” means any vehicle which is manufactured primarily for use on public streets, roads, and highways (not including a vehicle operated exclusively on a rail or rails) and which has at least 4 wheels.

(3) Manufacturer The term “manufacturer” has the meaning given such term in regulations prescribed by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency for purposes of the administration of title II of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7521 et seq.).

(4) Battery capacity The term “capacity” means, with respect to any battery, the quantity of electricity which the battery is capable of storing, expressed in kilowatt hours, as measured from a 100 percent state of charge to a 0 percent state of charge.

For purposes of paragraph (1), the applicable percentage is—

(1) In general In the case of a new qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicle sold during the phaseout period, only the applicable percentage of the credit otherwise allowable under subsection (a) shall be allowed.

(2) Phaseout period For purposes of this subsection, the phaseout period is the period beginning with the second calendar quarter following the calendar quarter which includes the first date on which the number of new qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicles manufactured by the manufacturer of the vehicle referred to in paragraph (1) sold for use in the United States after December 31, 2009, is at least 200,000.

For purposes of paragraph (1), the applicable percentage is—

(A) 50 percent for the first 2 calendar quarters of the phaseout period,

(B) 25 percent for the 3d and 4th calendar quarters of the phaseout period, and

(C) 0 percent for each calendar quarter thereafter.

(4) Controlled groups Rules similar to the rules of section 30B(f)(4) shall apply for purposes of this subsection.

A vehicle shall not be considered eligible for a credit under this section unless such vehicle is in compliance with—

(1) Basis reduction For purposes of this subtitle, the basis of any property for which a credit is allowable under subsection (a) shall be reduced by the amount of such credit so allowed (determined without regard to subsection (c)).

(2) No double benefit The amount of any deduction or other credit allowable under this chapter for a vehicle for which a credit is allowable under subsection (a) shall be reduced by the amount of credit allowed under such subsection for such vehicle (determined without regard to subsection (c)).

(3) Property used by tax-exempt entity In the case of a vehicle the use of which is described in paragraph (3) or (4) of section 50(b) and which is not subject to a lease, the person who sold such vehicle to the person or entity using such vehicle shall be treated as the taxpayer that placed such vehicle in service, but only if such person clearly discloses to such person or entity in a document the amount of any credit allowable under subsection (a) with respect to such vehicle (determined without regard to subsection (c)). For purposes of subsection (c), property to which this paragraph applies shall be treated as of a character subject to an allowance for depreciation.

(4) Property used outside United States not qualified No credit shall be allowable under subsection (a) with respect to any property referred to in section 50(b)(1).

(5) Recapture The Secretary shall, by regulations, provide for recapturing the benefit of any credit allowable under subsection (a) with respect to any property which ceases to be property eligible for such credit.

(6) Election not to take credit No credit shall be allowed under subsection (a) for any vehicle if the taxpayer elects to not have this section apply to such vehicle.

A vehicle shall not be considered eligible for a credit under this section unless such vehicle is in compliance with—

(A) the applicable provisions of the Clean Air Act for the applicable make and model year of the vehicle (or applicable air quality provisions of State law in the case of a State which has adopted such provision under a waiver under section 209(b) of the Clean Air Act), and

(B) the motor vehicle safety provisions of sections 30101 through 30169 of title 49, United States Code.

In the case of a qualified 2- or 3-wheeled plug-in electric vehicle—

In the case of a qualified 2- or 3-wheeled plug-in electric vehicle—

(A) there shall be allowed as a credit against the tax imposed by this chapter for the taxable year an amount equal to the sum of the applicable amount with respect to each such qualified 2- or 3-wheeled plug-in electric vehicle placed in service by the taxpayer during the taxable year, and

(B) the amount of the credit allowed under subparagraph (A) shall be treated as a credit allowed under subsection (a).

For purposes of paragraph (1), the applicable amount is an amount equal to the lesser of—

(A) 10 percent of the cost of the qualified 2- or 3-wheeled plug-in electric vehicle, or

(B) $2,500.

The term “qualified 2- or 3-wheeled plug-in electric vehicle” means any vehicle which—

(A) has 2 or 3 wheels,

(B) meets the requirements of subparagraphs (A), (B), (C), (E), and (F) of subsection (d)(1) (determined by substituting “2.5 kilowatt hours” for “4 kilowatt hours” in subparagraph (F)(i)),

(C) is manufactured primarily for use on public streets, roads, and highways,

(D) is capable of achieving a speed of 45 miles per hour or greater, and

(E) is acquired— (i) after December 31, 2011, and before January 1, 2014, or (ii) in the case of a vehicle that has 2 wheels, after December 31, 2014, and before January 1, 2018.

(Added Pub. L. 110–343, div. B, title II, § 205(a), Oct. 3, 2008, 122 Stat. 3835; amended Pub. L. 111–5, div. B, title I, § 1141(a), Feb. 17, 2009, 123 Stat. 326; Pub. L. 111–148, title X, § 10909(b)(2)(H), (c), Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 1023; Pub. L. 111–312, title I, § 101(b)(1), Dec. 17, 2010, 124 Stat. 3298; Pub. L. 112–240, title I, § 104(c)(2)(I), title IV, § 403(a), (b), Jan. 2, 2013, 126 Stat. 2322, 2337, 2338; Pub. L. 113–295, div. A, title II, § 209(e), Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 4028; Pub. L. 114–113, div. Q, title I, § 183(a), Dec. 18, 2015, 129 Stat. 3072; Pub. L. 115–123, div. D, title I, § 40405(a), Feb. 9, 2018, 132 Stat. 148.)