Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Congressman Peter Welch (D-Vt.) in introducing the Electric CARS Act of 2019. This bicameral legislation fully extends the Electric Vehicle (EV) tax credit for 10 years and helps deploy critical alternative fuel charging infrastructure.
“We know that when we incentivize the use and development of electric vehicles, we not only take steps to combat climate change but also grow our economy. As demand for electric vehicles increases, manufacturers have created good-paying jobs for Nevadans and made strong investments in Nevada’s economy. I’m proud to join Senator Merkley in this effort to encourage clean transportation, and I’ll continue fighting to ensure Nevada remains the Innovation State.”
In addition to Senators Cortez Masto and Merkley, U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.) also cosponsored this legislation.
BACKGROUND
The Electric CARS Act improves the Electric Vehicle (EV) tax credit, which helps American electric vehicle manufacturers advance the EV market and secures a wide range of options for consumers. Specifically, the Electric CARS Act:
- Eliminates the per manufacturer cap, allowing consumers access to the tax credit for the next 10 years, regardless of the manufacturer from which they purchase their car;
- Allows buyers to use the tax credit over a 5-year period, or apply the credit at the point of sale, making the credit more applicable to those without large tax liability; and
- Provides a 10-year extension of tax credits for alternative fuel vehicles and charging infrastructure to incentivize the buildout of this important infrastructure around the country.
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