Gavin Newsom rolls out $3,500 EV rebates for first-time California consumers whereas blasting Trump

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday rolled out particulars of a brand new program to supply on the spot rebates of as much as $3,500 for Californians shopping for their first electrical automobiles — pitching the state-backed incentive as a direct rebuke to President Trump’s fossil gasoline push and rollback of federal EV help.

“Whereas Donald Trump is hellbent on burning costlier fossil fuels and elevating prices for People, California is proving there’s a greater manner,” Newsom stated.

Trump has spent his second time period dismantling Biden-era EV insurance policies, together with blocking California’s landmark 2035 zero-emission automobile guidelines and transferring to unwind federal incentives and laws designed to speed up the shift away from gas-powered vehicles.

Hyundai, Lucid and Tesla have begun providing rebates by the state’s MyFirstEV program, in keeping with the governor’s workplace, permitting eligible consumers to get the low cost immediately on the dealership with out submitting an utility or ready for a reimbursement.

Ford, Rivian, Chevrolet and Kia are anticipated to hitch this system later this month, adopted by Toyota, Lexus, Honda and Subaru in September and Mitsubishi in November. Nissan and Volvo haven’t but set launch dates.

This system gives $3,500 towards a brand new zero-emission automobile with a producer’s recommended retail worth of as much as $50,000 and $1,750 towards a used automobile costing as much as $25,000 by collaborating producers’ pre-owned packages.

The rebate is obtainable to Californians buying their first zero-emission automobile. The state is placing $135.5 million into this system, with automakers offering a dollar-for-dollar match for $271 million in mixed incentives.

“California is displaying the world what actual financial safety seems to be like,” Newsom stated. “It’s one that may’t be held hostage by overseas conflicts and Large Oil.”

He added, “The Golden State is main the cost on constructing a dependable, inexpensive clear future.”

Newsom’s EV announcement additionally trumpeted a significant milestone for California’s more and more renewable energy grid.

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Battery storage capability has climbed to 21,112 megawatts, up from fewer than 700 megawatts when Newsom took workplace in 2019 — a rise of greater than 2,500%, in keeping with the administration.

Roughly 18,000 megawatts come from large-scale batteries related on to the electrical grid, whereas one other 3,000 megawatts are put in at properties, companies, farms and faculties.

The batteries are more and more used to retailer ample photo voltaic electrical energy throughout daytime and feed it again onto the facility grid after sundown, when California has historically relied extra closely on pure gasoline.

Solar energy additionally surpassed pure gasoline as California’s largest electrical energy supply in the course of the first half of 2026 for the primary time, in keeping with the governor’s workplace.

State information present photo voltaic use jumped 22% from the primary six months of 2024 to the identical interval this 12 months, whereas pure gasoline use plunged 51%. Battery capability grew 80% over that interval.

“California has at all times prioritized innovation, investing within the science and expertise of the longer term and advancing the goalpost on what is feasible,” California Power Fee Chair David Hochschild stated in a press release.

“We’re seeing renewables and batteries carry out like by no means earlier than, proof that our imaginative and prescient of a 100% clear vitality future is totally potential.”