Tesla Vehicles Snubbed from Texas EV Rebate Program

Tesla’s cars have remained the top-selling vehicles in the emerging zero-emission sector, although the company is still not supported by subsidies in some states like Texas.

The best-selling electric vehicles (EVs) in the U.S. aren’t eligible for Texas’s rebate program, since Tesla is not permitted to have dealerships in the state, according to a report from The Center Square.

With Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y being the best-selling EVs in the U.S., Tesla’s challenges in Texas — like how Tesla can’t sell vehicles directly to Texans without first shipping them out of state — are only more challenging with the state’s legislation surrounding EV startups.

An impressive 142 EV models are included on Texas’s list of eligible vehicles, including 22 BMW models, 17 Porsche models, 15 Audi vehicles, 14 Ford units, six from Mercedes, three from Nissan and two from Bentley.

The Texas EV rebate program offers up to $2,500 towards the purchase or lease of eligible vehicles.

Laura Lopez, the media and community relations manager for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality which runs the rebate program, said “The program currently requires that eligible vehicles must be purchased or leased from a licensed new vehicle dealer or leasing company in Texas.”

Tesla moved its headquarters to Austin, Texas last October, and the automaker has since opened a new Gigafactory in Texas that has been ramping up production over the last few months.