An Oregon couple and other buyers facing federal EV credit deadlines nearly missed out on thousands of dollars in savings — but The Oregonian detailed how consumers can “avoid this bombshell.”
Since 2009, the federal government has provided a generous tax offset to electric vehicle buyers, an IRS credit expected to expire on Sept. 30.
In a trend attributed in no small part to the loss of EV credits, the summer of 2025 heralded a rush of prospective buyers and lessees flocking to dealerships to maximize their savings.
Monthly EV lease prices dipped as low as $10 in July, and electric vehicles continued flying off lots in September.
Portland-based couple Katie Larsell and Michael Schilmoeller fell in love with the Kia EV6, finalizing their purchase on Aug. 26 and qualifying for a $7,500 credit to boot. However, The Oregonian reported, Larsell and Schilmoeller “fell into a hole” in terms of paperwork.
Larsell recalled prodding dealership employees to ensure her purchase paperwork was in order so she and Schilmoeller would qualify for the credit when filing taxes. After the sale, she discovered the dealership had failed to file its own purchase-related paperwork with the IRS.
The couple’s friends, Richard Curtis and Jan Apland-Curtis, happened to purchase the same model at the same dealership in the spring, and they discovered they had the same issue.
“We were blindsided. We said, ‘No, that can’t be right,'” Curtis said.
The government’s sunsetting electric vehicle incentive had a specific purpose: to encourage drivers to consider making their next car an EV.
Dealership interviews from September featured several current EV drivers lured solely by low prices — evidence that the incentive was highly effective.
Moreover, data compiled by J.D. Power indicated that EV credits had truly done their job, finding that nine out of 10 EV drivers were unlikely to return to gas-powered cars.
Nevertheless, the situation in Oregon was the type that could harm EV adoption, leaving new drivers with a negative impression of the sale before they had time to adjust to their new cars.
Ultimately, both couples successfully secured their credits. The fix involved two documents: a “time-of-sale report” that is supposed to be sent within a “three-day time limit” and a “copy of confirmation.”
They eventually obtained the necessary documents, according to The Oregonian, ensuring their eligibility for the $7,500 credit. Still, buyers of qualified new or used EVs or plug-in hybrids through Sept. 30 should be sure to follow up with any dealership about all paperwork to be extra safe. In most cases, it’s possible to get that credit at the point of sale so you do not have to wait for a tax return, but it’s still important to make sure the paperwork was filed properly.
The IRS recently confirmed that car buyers do not need to have their qualifying new or used EV or plug-in hybrid in hand by Sept. 30 as long as the sale is completed by the end of Sept. 30. The credit for used vehicles that qualify goes up to $4,000, while the credit for new goes up to $7,500, depending on how a model is manufactured. Buyers can check Consumer Reports’ list to see if a model qualifies.
As EV sales continue surging in September, prospective buyers and lessees are at risk of encountering the same issue.
The Oregonian noted that the National Auto Dealers Association issued a paperwork reminder to dealerships across the country earlier this year, but Apland-Curtis worried about EV buyers — like herself — who weren’t aware of the paperwork issue.
“We think this is happening to a lot of people, and it doesn’t feel fair to the consumer,” she said.
