Tesla Orders Surge as US EV Tax Credit Nears Sept. 30 Expiry

A rush to purchase electric vehicles is under way in the United States ahead of the 30 September expiration of the federal $7,500 tax credit, part of the recently repealed Inflation Reduction Act incentives. To receive the credit, buyers must take delivery—not merely place an order—before the deadline, prompting a late-summer scramble for available inventory. Tesla, the country’s largest EV maker, is one of the immediate beneficiaries. The company’s website now lists delivery estimates of four to six weeks for its top-selling Model Y, compared with as little as one week earlier in the month. In a further sign of tightening supply, Tesla raised Model Y lease prices by as much as 14% and withdrew a free-upgrade incentive for both the Model Y and Model 3. Analysts view the surge as a short-term boost that could pull demand forward from the fourth quarter, leaving the broader industry facing a potential sales slump once the incentive disappears. Tesla has urged customers to schedule deliveries promptly, underscoring the importance of timing as inventories thin and logistics capacity strains.