Your electric vehicle tax credit disappears on Sept. 30.

Act now and claim up to $7,500 before savings expire!

You have less than 50 days to lock in major savings on an electric vehicle before federal incentives disappear. Right now, you can get up to $7,500 off a new EV or plug-in hybrid, or up to $4,000 off a used one through IRS Clean Vehicle Tax Credits.

When Congress passed the “Big Beautiful Bill,” they slashed the program’s timeline, moving its expiration date up to September 30, 2025 instead of 2032. That means buyers only have a short window left to take advantage of these savings before they’re gone for good.

How to claim your EV tax credit with CEC’s free assistance:

• Complete CEC’s EV Assistance form at cec.pub/EV-incentives or contact Kat Orellana at (805) 730-0209.

• We’ll confirm if your income and chosen vehicle qualify for the IRS Clean Vehicle Tax Credit and let you know about other EV incentives you can combine for even more savings.

• Bring this information to the dealership to claim your credit right at the point of sale.

• The dealership will verify the vehicle’s VIN and apply the credit directly to your purchase price, lowering your upfront cost immediately.

The Time Is Right to Switch to an Electric Vehicle

Consider It an Act of Resistance

It’s official: when it comes to protecting us from the growing threat of a climate crisis, the federal government is not just asleep at the wheel – it’s driving us in reverse. Regressive climate policies, funding rollbacks, and the purge of environmental agencies threaten to permanently set the climate movement back by a decade or more.

As we watch years of climate progress unravel, state and local action is the only path toward a livable future. Thankfully, there are many impactful ways we can resist these attempts to thwart climate progress. While this may seem small in the scheme of things, one such way is to switch to an electric vehicle.

Read the full story, originally published in the Santa Barbara Independent.

Upcoming EV Events

Find CEC at the following events to learn more about EV rebates, incentive programs, and the benefits of switching to an electric vehicle:

Girls Inc. Back to School Night & Community Resilience Fair

Tuesday, August 19, from 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Girls Inc. of Carpenteria, 5315 Foothill Rd., Carpinteria

Application Assistance: Driving Clean Assistance Program (DCAP)

Wednesday, August 20, 2025, from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Virtual (join from anywhere!)

Fill out this form to see if you qualify and secure your spot.

Pacific Pride Festival

Saturday, August 23, from 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Chase Palm Park, 323 E Cabrillo Blvd., Santa Barbara

National Drive Electric Month: EV Incentives Resource Fair

Wednesday, September 10, from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

CEC’s Environmental Hub, 1219 State St., Santa Barbara

National Drive Election Month: Santa Maria Downtown Fridays EV Showcase

Friday, September 26, from 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

345 Town Center E, Santa Maria

National Drive Electric Month: EV Expo at the Madonna Inn

Saturday, September 27, from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Madonna Inn, 100 Madonna Rd., San Luis Obispo

National Drive Electric Month: Ventura County EV Showcase

Sunday, October 5, from 12:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Ventura Harbor, 1591 Spinnaker Drive, Ventura

Lowrider National Supershow

Saturday, October 11, from 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Santa Maria Fairpark, 937 S. Thornburg St., Santa Maria

National Drive Electric Month: Thousand Oaks Rotary Club Street Fair & Electric Vehicle Showcase

Sunday, October 19, from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Booth in front of Moorpark Rd and Brazil St, 449 N. Moorpark Road, Chick-fil-A Parking Lot, Thousand oaks

Visit the NDEM website to learn more and for a full list of nationwide events.

Other Opportunities

Agriculture professionals, experts, and organizations: CCAL can serve as a resource to receive direct referrals from local producers, expand outreach to new landowners, and collaborate through shared events and technical assistance.

Other Upcoming Events

Make Polluters Pay Meeting

Wednesday, August 27, 2025

6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Virtual (join from anywhere!)

Polluters Pay Santa Barbara is rallying support for California’s Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Act of 2025, which would make fossil fuel companies pay for their role in causing climate damages. Hosted by two recent Climate Stewards graduates, this monthly gathering will share updates and meaningful actions you can take to push this important policy forward. Join the movement for a fair transition to a safe climate future! The August meeting will be hosted on Zoom. Learn more and register.

Climate Fridays Santa Barbara

Friday, September 5, 2025 (AND every first Friday in 2025)

3:30 – 5:30 p.m.

CEC’s Environmental Hub

1219 State St., Santa Barbara

Join CEC, the Society of Fearless Grandmothers Santa Barbara, and the Santa Barbara Sierra Club on the first Friday of each month. At these events, climate activists, students, community partners, and friends gather to learn about regional climate change issues and how to take collective action to protect our planet. September’s gathering will focus on the national Sun Day day of action event on September 21, a celebration of the power of clean energy. Learn about plans for our local event at the Santa Barbara Public Library and how you can participate in the clean energy revolution. Stick around after the meeting for our quarterly happy hour to enjoy complimentary refreshments and network with the community. Learn more and register.

TGIF! Happy Hour

Friday, September 12, 2025

5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

EDC Courtyard

906 Garden St., Santa Barbara

Join us at the Environmental Defense Center’s September TGIF! happy hour to meet and mingle with environmentally minded community members. Enjoy live music, food and drinks, and engage with local non-profit and environmental organizations, elected officials, and climate leaders from throughout the South Central Coast. CEC is a partner on this event. Learn more and register.

Santa Barbara Sun Day Celebration

Sunday, September 21, 2025

1:00 – 4:30 p.m.

Santa Barbara Public Library

40 East Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara

Join us for a local celebration of clean energy progress as part of the national Sun Day of action, led by Third Act. Hosted by CEC, Sierra Club Santa Barbara/Ventura, Society of Fearless Grandmothers, and the City of Santa Barbara, this free, festival-style event will feature speakers, kids’ activities, community booths, and resources to help electrify your home or business. Come take part in building a sun-powered future for Santa Barbara County and beyond! Learn more and register.

Support Critical Work Like This

Recognized as a 2020 California Nonprofit of the Year and a City of Santa Barbara Climate Hero, CEC is led by CEO Sigrid Wright, 2022 Congressional Woman of the Year. See our most recent impact report to learn how we are serving California’s Central Coast by advancing rapid and equitable solutions to the climate crisis.

Learn more about how you can invest in CEC’s work to accelerate regional climate solutions at cecsb.org/donate.