California’s new EV rebate program will provide up to $3,500 on qualifying electric vehicles, with 13 automakers joining the state-backed incentive.

California’s new EV rebate program will offer incentives on qualifying electric vehicles.

Which Automakers Qualify for the California EV Rebate Program?

The California EV rebate program includes 13 participating automakers:

• Ford
• General Motors
• Honda
• Hyundai
• Kia
• Lucid
• Mitsubishi
• Nissan
• Rivian
• Subaru
• Tesla
• Toyota
• Volvo

Eligible buyers can receive instant rebates at the dealership on new EVs priced below $50,000 and used EVs under $25,000. California-based manufacturers Lucid and Rivian are exempt from the new-vehicle price cap.

Thirteen automakers have joined California’s new electric vehicle incentive program.

Several EV Brands Will Not Participate

Not every automaker offering electric vehicles will be part of the program. Brands including BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Volkswagen, Jeep, Dodge, Maserati, Mini and Fiat are not participating in the new rebate initiative.

In many cases, the decision comes down to vehicle pricing, as several manufacturers do not currently sell EVs that qualify under California’s purchase limits.

Several luxury EV brands will not be eligible under California’s new rebate program

A New Incentive for California EV Buyers

The California EV rebate program is designed to encourage electric vehicle adoption by lowering purchase costs while supporting affordable EV options across multiple brands. As the program rolls out later this year, eligible buyers will have access to instant savings at the point of sale, making electric vehicles more accessible throughout the state.

Charles Leclerc says a yellow flag and Ferrari’s lack of straight-line speed prevented him from securing a stronger qualifying result at Spa.

Charles Leclerc and Ferrari narrowly missed out on a better qualifying result for the Belgian Grand Prix after a confusing yellow flag disrupted the Monegasque driver’s final flying lap. Although he qualified fifth (moving up to fourth after Lando Norris’ penalty) Leclerc believes the incident cost him at least one position on the grid.

Charles Leclerc believes a yellow flag compromised his final qualifying lap at Spa.

Leclerc Says Ferrari Lost Time at the Worst Moment

Leclerc explained that a yellow flag displayed near the pit entry was highly visible from the racing line, forcing him to hesitate during his final attempt. While he admitted Ferrari still lacked the pace to challenge for pole, he believes the interruption prevented him from overtaking George Russell in the final standings.

The Ferrari driver also pointed to Mercedes’ superior straight-line speed, describing power as the team’s biggest weakness at Spa-Francorchamps.

Ferrari continues to trail Mercedes in straight-line performance.

Ferrari Hopes Slipstream Can Make the Difference

Despite the qualifying setback, Charles Leclerc remains optimistic for Sunday’s race. He believes slipstreaming could help Ferrari compensate for its straight-line deficit and create opportunities to move forward during the Belgian Grand Prix.

Leclerc hopes Ferrari can recover positions during the Belgian Grand Prix.

George Russell revealed Mercedes is still battling a technical issue that is costing significant time on the straights ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix.

George Russell and Mercedes continue to battle a frustrating technical issue that has compromised the team’s straight-line performance since the British Grand Prix. Despite qualifying fourth for the Belgian Grand Prix—promoted to third after Lando Norris’ grid penalty—Russell admitted the problem is costing him valuable lap time at Spa-Francorchamps.

The British driver believes the issue has prevented him from fighting for pole position, even though he was satisfied with his qualifying performance.

George Russell says Mercedes is losing valuable time on the straights because of an unresolved issue.

George Russell Says Mercedes Is Losing Speed on the Straights

Russell revealed that Mercedes has identified an ongoing problem that causes his car to lose speed at full throttle, costing anywhere between two and six tenths of a second per lap on the straights.

Initially, the team suspected the issue was related to the brakes or even Russell’s driving style, but after extensive analysis, Mercedes is now convinced the problem is mechanical rather than driver-related.

The issue has forced the team to focus on recovering top speed instead of improving car setup and tire performance throughout the Belgian Grand Prix weekend.

Mercedes has been investigating the straight-line performance issue since Silverstone.

Mercedes Still Searching for Answers

Although Mercedes has not identified the exact cause, Russell does not believe the power unit is responsible. Instead, he says something is preventing the car from reaching its full potential on the straights, leaving the team searching for answers before the next race.

Russell hopes Mercedes can solve the issue before the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Russell Remains Optimistic Despite the Setback

Despite the ongoing problem, George Russell remains encouraged by the pace shown in the corners and believes he had the speed to challenge for the front row under normal conditions. Mercedes will now continue working to resolve the issue before the Hungarian Grand Prix, where Russell hopes the team can finally unlock the car’s full performance.