Summary
- The $7,500 federal EV tax credit ends Sept 30, 2025 — many EVs will rise to about $7.5K after that.
- Top bargains — like the Equinox, Model 3, Ioniq 5, EV6, Blazer — will cost roughly $7-8K more on Oct 1.
- Cheap models like the Nissan Leaf and Kona don’t qualify now but trail on range and performance.
The $7,500 Federal Tax Credit on EVs ends on September 30, 2025. This will make the current price of a lot of very nice EVs more expensive, and make other models like the $28K Nissan Leaf and $33K Hyundai Kona (which do not currently qualify for the tax credit) more attractive.
While the Leaf and the Kona are fine cars, they do not stack up to other EVs now in their price range. The 150-mile small-hatch Leaf is not in the same league as the 310-mile SUV Chevy Equinox, nor can you compare the 200-mile small crossover Kona to the 357-mile compact sedan Tesla Model 3.
Obviously, not all EVs qualify for the tax credit now, but for those that do, the current price makes them accessible to a much bigger slice of car buyers. You have a month and a bit to decide, so here is a list of the five most affordable EVs now, and what they will cost on October 1, 2025.
I’ve also added details of the more expensive trims of each model, just to give you more info on what you can now get for how much.
1
Chevrolet Equinox is $26,100 now
But $33,600 after September
The Chevy Equinox is shooting the lights out in EV sales, third only behind the Tesla Models Y and 3. It’s a compact SUV, so in the same size bracket as a RAV4 or VW ID.4 The Equinox EV comes in a range of three options, with the LT as the most affordable option, and the cheapest EV in the US right now.
The LT trim is pretty basic and does beg for some optional extras, but if you are just looking for an affordable EV, this is it. It has a range of 319 miles in RWD (with the option of AWD), a 17.7-inch touchscreen, 19-inch wheels, adaptive cruise control and a handful of other driver-assist features.
There are also the LT2 and RS versions, costing around $7K to $10K more than the LT, but more fully loaded, giving you a really attractive EV SUV for comfortably under $40K.
Do note that Chevrolet is moving away from Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and none of the Equinox trims offer these, using a Chevy interface for navigation, entertainment, and communication.
2
Tesla Model 3 is $34,990 now
But $42,490 after September
The Tesla Model 3 is still the second best-selling EV in the US, behind the Model Y, despite the negative publicity around the brand lately. Model 3 sales have actually increased so far this year, while the Model Y has come down significantly.
A Tesla Model 3 RWD Long Range at $35K is a very compelling EV indeed. With a range of 357 miles, and a 0-60mph time of 4.9 seconds, this is a serious performance EV in its own right. It comes pretty fully loaded at that price, although the contentious Full Self Driving (Supervised) will set you back $8K. Like Chevy’s EVs, Tesla uses its own infotainment interface.
If you’re looking to trade more performance at the cost of some range, the AWD Long Range now starts at $40K, with a 346-mile range, and 0-60mph in 4.2 seconds, while you can get the Model 3 Performance at $48K, with a 298-mile range, and 0-60 mph in 2.9 seconds. Check out more details here.
3
Hyundai Ioniq 5 is $35,100 now
But $42,600 after September
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 like the Equinox, is a compact EV SUV. Unlike the Chevy, the Ioniq 5’s most affordable SE Standard Range version is pretty well loaded, making up for the price with a lower 245-mile range and less powerful motor. When launched in 2022, the Ioniq 5 was named Car of the Year, Design of the Year, and EV of the Year.
The Ioniq 5 has five options in the range, with a longer range SE RWD, and three more trims sporting more features, AWD, more power and significant performance.
The long-range SE RWD will now cost under $39K, with a 225 hp motor and a range of 318 miles. The top range XRT will now cost $48K, trading range for 320 hp that will go 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds. Find more on the Ioniq 5 here.
4
Kia EV6 is $35,400 now
But $42,900 after September
The Kia EV6 shares a lot with the Ioniq 5 of its sister company, Hyundai. Although also a compact SUV, the EV6 has a lower, sharper, sportier look to it. Because of its looks and the very sporty nature of its top trims, the Kia EV6 is often mentioned as an alternative to the Tesla Model Y.
The EV six has seven trims to choose from, with the Light RWD having the same feature-rich, shorter range, and less power configuration as the entry-level Ioniq 5. At $35K, this EV6 is ideal for someone who does not need huge range or massive speed, but would like a comfortable car.
The top trim is the GT-Line AWD now at $52K, with a 320 hp motor, 800 V super-fast charging, and like the rest of the range, completely loaded with features. You can look at the EV6 here.
5
Chevrolet Blazer is $37,100 now
But $44,600 after September
The Chevy Blazer EV is another compact SUV, but with more space for passengers and cargo. It comes in three main trims, offering RWD range at 313 miles, and a dual-motor AWD of 283 miles.
The starting trim LT is more car than the cheaper Equinox and will appeal to a buyer looking for a bigger car, but after that, Chevy does not seem to have shaken out the logic of its Blazer range yet. The offering on its website is somewhat confusing, and the experience is marred by irritating hard-sell popups.
The top trim SS starts at $53K now, over $60K in October, and it just feels too expensive for what is on offer. The Blazer is a nice looking car, but even with the tax break, I find it hard to justify choosing this over others in the same range.
