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Welcome to the Market Pulse—your no-fluff cheatsheet to auto retail, built to help dealers price right, stock smart, and stay ahead.
OEMs are adjusting EV incentives to stay competitive: Hyundai and Kia are cutting prices outright, while Tesla, GM, and Ford are leaning on lease and APR programs.
Select EV models still offer value for Q4 shoppers: Models like the Equinox EV and IONIQ 5 still have strong incentive support and competitive monthly payments.
Targeted messaging is driving better results vs broad EV campaigns: With every OEM rewriting its incentive playbook, dealers who can clearly explain what changed, what didn’t, and which offers genuinely save buyers money are winning more post-credit EV deals.
(Source: OEM announcements / Cox Automotive / Edmunds / DealerRefresh Forum)
Post-credit EV incentive offers are fragmenting across OEMs.
Recently, we analyzed how automakers are adapting after the $7,500 EV tax credit expired.
The findings: There’s no single playbook.
Hyundai and Kia are slashing MSRPs and offering stackable rebates.
Tesla, GM, and Ford are leaning on lease and financing programs to keep payment levels steady.
And BMW and Stellantis are offering mixed incentives on both EVs and PHEVs.
This variance (for good reason) might confuse for shoppers, but creates an edge for dealers who can keep it simple and speak directly to value.
NOTE TO DEALERS:
Have answers ready for the questions that stall deals.
Know your market’s top lease offers and how they stack up on monthly cost.
Have a charging demo ready on the lot.
Walk buyers through installation timelines, tax credits, and which public stations are actually nearby.
The clearer you make it, the easier it is for them to say yes, incentives or not.
Model-specific EV deals are changing what’s worth promoting in Q4.
Not every dealer plans to continue selling EVs, and that’s fine. But if you’re still looking to close a few before year-end, some nameplates are clearly better positioned than others.
These are some of the units worth leaning into in Q4:
Chevy Equinox EV: Starts around $35K with a 319-mile range. GM Financial is offering up to $7,500 lease incentive (commercial credit passthrough) with 0% APR on select terms.
Hyundai IONIQ 5 (2025): $7,500 cash rebate on 2025 models available through October, with the 2026 IONIQ 5 MSRP cut by approximately $9,800. This creates an effective price of $32K-$42K post-rebate on current inventory.
Ford Mustang Mach-E: Ford is offering $7,500 lease credit with MSRP hold and 1.9% APR promotional financing. With dealer participation, competitive lease payments are available.
Stellantis PHEVs: $7,500 rebate on in-stock Wrangler 4xe, Grand Cherokee 4xe, and Charger Daytona; Pacifica Hybrid at $5K off. Limited inventory and rebate ends when lots clear.
WHY IT MATTERS:
Not all EVs are dead weight. But only a few still have the right mix of pricing, support, and shopper interest to move in Q4.
Dealers… market them like it.
Take Hudson Hyundai in Jersey City: They’re running an “IONIQ 5 vs. Tesla” page that stacks up both brands on price, range, features, and safety.
Any store can do this. It just takes knowing what still has momentum, then building the content and offers to match.
A quick word from our partner
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The dealerships pulling ahead are asking different questions.
Instead of “What’s our average response time?” they ask, “Are we connecting with customers when they’re ready to engage?”
Automotive AI makes this possible at scale.
While competitors hire more staff, AI-enabled dealerships deliver concierge-level engagement across every touchpoint—turning missed opportunities into lasting customer relationships.
Want to see what complete lifecycle management with Automotive AI can do for your dealership?
What’s in play right now from each OEM might only last a few weeks, but it’s the market dealers were dealt.
So, here’s some advice dealers are swapping online right now:
Do: Market or lean into used EVs / hybrids that combine brand support, battery guarantees, and buyer confidence.
It’s tempting to back away from used EVs post-credit. But hybrids and select used EVs still offer a lower-risk entry point for shoppers burned out on price volatility, especially when they come with:
Active battery warranties
Transparent charging and service history
OEM support or CPO programs that help de-risk the decision
These are the offers that help a shopper feel like they’re buying into certainty, not chasing incentives.
Do: Use the 30C home charger tax credit while it’s active.
The federal 30C home charger credit covers 30% of equipment and installation costs, up to $1,000, through June 30, 2026, but only if the property is in a qualifying census tract.
It’s a small but compelling incentive, so have a trusted installer partner ready and make the tax credit part of your EV delivery pitch when necessary.
Customers love turnkey value, and this gives them one more reason to say yes this quarter instead of waiting for the next round of OEM incentives.
Don’t: Neglect to train your team on changing EV incentives.
Incentives are moving fast and unevenly. That means sales floor knowledge is one of the main competitive advantages.
Example: Colorado still offers a $5K state credit on top of OEM cash, and Hyundai’s $7,500 lease passthrough can undercut Ford’s by nearly $200/month on comparable trims.
If your team isn’t up to speed on what’s still in play (by state, by trim, by term), odds are they’re losing deals to the store down the street that is.
Let’s be real…this wave of rebates and lease cash is likely a patch, not a long-term plan.
My guess: OEMs are buying time until cheaper $35K EVs arrive in 2026, and most of these programs won’t survive past year-end.
Which is why messaging is everything right now. Buyers need someone who can explain what actually changed, what didn’t, and why one lease or rebate structure saves them more today.
The dealer who can do that (clearly, fast, and without spin) will close deals long after EV incentives dry up.
How are EV incentives shaping your playbook right now?
Missed yesterday’s episode of Daily Dealer Live?
Presented by:
Hussain on Car Buying Hacks, Zachs on Tackling Affordability, Seale on Kia Wins
Featured guests:
Malik Hussain, General Manager at Bill Jacobs
Jacob Zachs, CEO & Founder of Fasten Rewards
James V Seale, Managing Partner at Grandbury Kia
Three opportunities hitting the CDG Job Board right now:
White's Auto Mall: Sales Manager (Hopkinsville, Kentucky)
Hertrich Family of Automobile Dealerships: Office Manager (Dover, Delaware)
Bud Clary Auto Group: Service Manager (Moses Lake, Washington)
Looking to hire? Add your roles today—it’s 100% free.
