The aging but affordable—and to some eyes, rather attractive—Nissan Leaf electric car has been recertified by the US government as now eligible for a federal $3,750 tax credit for 2024.
Prior to December 31, 2023, Leaf was eligible for half of the full $7,500 federal incentive, but that expired at the end of 2023. What that meant was that the company had to recertify that its battery components and meet the latest IRA requirements. The Leaf becomes one of only 11 new EV models in the U.S. that are currently eligible for a federal credit—only seven can get the full $7,500 credit.
The credit is available provided that the customer meets all purchase and income qualifications for the EV tax credit as outlined in IRS code Section 30D. That means that the vehicle must be assembled in North America and meet “critical mineral and battery component requirements.”
The mineral and battery component requirements refer to the amount of parts and minerals sourced from North America, and they get more strict each year, which is why eligibility fluctuates with some vehicles. The Cadillac Lyriq recently regained eligibility after briefly losing it with the stricter rules.
Nissan says the current Leaf models—-there are two trim levels—and its batteries are assembled in Smyrna, Tenn. Nissan also says that to be eligible for the tax break, the Leaf model must be built in 2024 and be purchased today, March 6, or after.
To sweeten the current lease arrangements provided to prospective buyers of a 2023 or 2024 Leaf, the manufacturer says it’s also offering a $3,750 incentive.
MSRP for the base 2024 Leaf S starts at $29,235 after the $1,095 destination charge. The S has a 147-horsepower motor and a 40-kWh battery pack with a 149-mile range. The 2024 Leaf SV starts at $37,285, a $390 bump over 2023 pricing at launch. The SV gets a more powerful 214-horsepower motor and a larger 60-kWh battery pack with 212 miles of range.
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