Dazed and confused: EV buyers struggle to navigate new tax credits

David Di Pinza of Wildomar, California, would like to replace his aging 2013 Ford C-Max hybrid with an electric vehicle.

He is a cage cashier at a local casino and was planning to dip into his 401(k) savings to afford the purchase. The prospect of a $7,500 rebate would make an EV a viable option. 

So when Congress approved point-of-sale discounts on EVs through the Inflation Reduction Act, Di Pinza was thrilled. But the more he read about the law's new requirements, the more he realized his options would be limited — so limited, industry advocates estimate, no existing EV would qualify once the policy comes fully into effect.