GW Expert on EV Tax Credits as part of Inflation Reduction Act

The House is voting on the Inflation Reduction Act Friday, a sweeping bill on climate change, corporate taxes, healthcare, and more. Part of the measure includes electric vehicle tax credits, aimed to help low- and middle-income buyers but has come with mixed reviews.                                                            

If you’re looking for more context on this matter, please consider John Helveston, assistant professor of engineering management and systems engineering at the George Washington University. Helveston is an expert on the solar and electric vehicle markets.

Helveston’s recent research, which was published this summer, examined the current tax credit scheme and what EV buyers valued in the car-buying process. Their study shows that an immediate rebate at the point of sale would be more equitable and potentially more effective in broadening the buying market for electric vehicles.

In a recent interview with NPR, Helveston said of the EV measures in the climate bill, “It’s steering everything towards making more affordable, more accessible EVs for the mass market. And that's the direction we need to be going.”