Cheap, 2012 Leaf, with 25,000 miles for less than $10,000. With free delivery! I mean, really, didn't people know there is range limitation? A Leaf is not an all around car. But for its purpose it's a nice car. If I didn't already have two HVs I would consider one at that price.
If you lived in San Jaoquin County or further south, you'd get an additional $3K air quality rebate if purchasing new. Thus, with the $2500 CA rebate and $7500 federal tax credit, you can subtract $13K off. With current Nissan incentives, it is possible right now to buy a base Leaf with quick charge package for just $11,500 + TTL because of all the rebates I described. Plus you get 2 years free public charging (first 30 minutes free at Level 3, first 60 minutes at Level 2), plus 0% financing for 72 months. There's no reason to buy a used Leaf given this pricing, which is why the used ones go for so little.
One note: I believe the Federal benefit is a tax deduction off your gross, a tax credit would mean $7500 off your Tax owed. Correct me if I am wrong.
i thought it was a credit. i have not read anywhere that you don't get the full 7500, unless you don't owe 7500, but i could be wrong.
It's a so called tax write off, ie: a deduction you only get it once and of course if you don't meet the parameters then you will not receive the whole benefit, the year I bought my 2005 I had a pretty hefty tax bill, so it worked out for me. Now if I was homeless and only made $5000/Yr a 7500 deduction is useless.
A tax deduction is applied to income; reducing the amount that gets taxed. I got my 2005 before the tax credit, and got the $2000 deduction instead. which comes out to maybe $500. A tax credit is subtract is subtracted directly from the taxes you owe. So its dollar amount directly equals the amount you. Of course you have to make enough to be taxed that much, but a homeless person isn't going to be buying any new car. Or you can lease; most pass the benefit of the tax credit on to the leasee.
