The 14 Manufacturers Participating in California’s New MyFirstEV Program

California has launched MyFirstEV, a $135.5 million incentive program for people buying their first electric vehicle. The money works through car dealers rather than a rebate you apply for later: at the point of sale, first-time EV buyers or lessees get $3,500 off a new vehicle ($1,750 from the state, matched by $1,750 from the automaker) or $1,750 off a used one ($875 from each). To keep the program focused on affordable cars, new vehicles must have a sticker price under $50,000, and used ones must sell for under $25,000 (California-based manufacturers are exempt from the cap).

Fourteen automakers have signed on, but they're not all ready yet. Chevrolet, Ford, Hyundai, Kia, Lucid, and Tesla are set to start offering the incentive in August 2026. Honda, Lexus, Subaru, and Toyota follow in September, Mitsubishi in November, and Nissan, Rivian, and Volvo are listed as "coming soon" without a firm date. New vehicles must be model year 2026 or newer, and used vehicles have to be at least two model years older than the sale date.

If you're a California resident shopping for your first EV, timing matters here: the state warns that any vehicle ordered or purchased before your dealer's manufacturer has actually activated the incentive won't qualify for it. So it's worth checking with the dealer directly on whether the discount is live for that specific brand before signing anything.