# California Offers $3,500 Instant Rebate for First-Time EV Buyers The MyFirstEV program incentivizes the transition to electric vehicles. - **Source:** [Engadget - Technology News & Expert Reviews](https://brifing.si/source/16dd2da6-3eea-4d1e-b34f-45e846cdf037) - **Published:** 2026-07-14 - **Topic:** [Business](https://brifing.si/c/business) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/ab4bdfeb-b40a-41d6-931f-de1a45bc1a9b ## What is the MyFirstEV Program? California Governor Gavin Newsom launched the MyFirstEV program to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles. The program offers a $3,500 instant rebate to first-time EV buyers. It is part of California's goal to improve its clean transportation economy. ## Who is Eligible? To benefit from the MyFirstEV program, certain conditions apply. The rebate is only available to first-time EV buyers. Additionally, new vehicles must be priced under $50,000, while used vehicles must cost less than $25,000. ## Which Vehicles Qualify? Fully electric vehicles (excluding hybrids) are eligible under the program. Popular models include the Nissan Leaf, Tesla Model 3 and Model Y, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and Ford Mustang Mach-E. ## Funding Sources Half of the MyFirstEV program's $270 million budget comes from California's 2026-2027 state budget, while the other half is sourced from participating automakers. These funds are used to support clean transportation. ## Instant Rebate Advantage The rebate is applied instantly at dealerships. This allows buyers to benefit from up to $3,500 off without needing additional processes. ## Future Steps California plans a $600 million investment in clean transportation. This includes air quality improvement programs, clean truck and bus incentives, and replacing polluting heavy-duty vehicles. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.engadget.com/2214847/californias-myfirstev-provides-a-dollar3500-instant-rebate-to-first-time-buyers/ — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._