Latest news with #dealerships
Fast Company
7 hours ago
- Automotive
- Fast Company
How to use the clean energy tax credits before they're gone
If you want to buy an electric vehicle —or solar panels or a heat pump or home battery—there's a short window of time to make use of the existing federal tax credits currently available. Under the Inflation Reduction Act, the tax credits were supposed to last 10 years. Now, thanks to the Republican One Big Beautiful Bill, there are only about 10 weeks left to claim the EV tax credits before they disappear. Other clean energy tax credits will expire at the end of the year. Here's what you need to know if you want to make use of them to help cut emissions and save on your energy bills. New electric vehicles Deadline: September 30 If you need a new car, it's a good time to get an EV. Models qualify for a tax credit of up to $7,500 if they're assembled in North America and meet American sourcing requirements for battery parts and critical minerals. There's a price limit of $55,000 for cars and $80,000 for trucks, and an income limit for taxpayers ($150,000 for single filers). You can claim the credit on your tax return next year, but many dealerships also offer the option to transfer the credit to the dealer and get an immediate discount. For foreign-made EVs, you may still be able to get a discount if you lease a car through a loophole that classifies leased cars as 'commercial clean vehicles.' The dealer can get the tax credit and pass on the savings to you. Used electric vehicles Deadline: September 30 The market for used EVs is booming; they've outsold used gas cars for five out of the last seven months. More than a third of the EVs available now are under $25,000. That's the price limit for used cars to qualify for a $4,000 tax credit. (Cars also have to be purchased from a licensed dealer, be at least two years old, and on resale for the first time.) The income limit for taxpayers is lower than for new cars: For a single person, your adjusted gross income needs to be $75,000 or less. EV chargers Deadline: June 2026 If you need an EV charger in your garage, you have more time to make your purchase: The tax credit of up to $1,000 doesn't expire until next summer. Rooftop solar Deadline: December 31 Like some of the other clean energy credits, the tax credit for solar panels existed long before the Biden administration. For the past 20 years, if you installed solar panels or solar shingles on your roof, you could get a 30% tax credit (on average, worth around $4,600). Now it's going away. Adding solar to your home can help save thousands per year on electric bills. If you pair the panels with home battery storage, you can also have clean backup power when the grid goes down. If you lease solar panels rather than buying them, the incentives last a little longer: Companies that lease solar can claim federal tax credits until 2027 and pass on savings to you. But because tariffs are pushing prices up, it may still make sense to act sooner. Battery storage, including some induction stoves Deadline: December 31 Even if you don't have rooftop solar, a home battery can help you save money and cut emissions by storing electricity when there's extra renewable energy available on the grid. To qualify for the current 30% tax credit, the battery must have a capacity of at least 3 kilowatt-hours. It includes sleek wall units and even high-end induction stoves that double as battery storage. Like companies that lease solar, those that lease batteries have longer to claim tax credits—until the 2030s, in this case. Geothermal heating Deadline: December 31 Even if you live in a climate that's sweltering in the summer and freezing in the winter, the temperature underground stays steady. Geothermal heat pumps tap into this, transferring heat into a house in the winter and reversing the process in the summer to keep the house cool. They're pricey, with costs ranging from $15,000 to $35,000 or more. The current tax credit offers 30% of the cost of the tech and installation, with no cap and no income limit for the taxpayer. Again, there's a longer timeline for companies that lease geothermal systems to claim credits and offer consumers some savings. Air-source heat pumps Deadline: December 31 Air-source heat pumps pull heat from the air, even in cold climates like Maine. Swapping out a gas furnace and air conditioner for air-source heat pumps (either a central system or mini splits) can help you save hundreds of dollars per year on energy bills. Heat pumps are around three times more efficient than traditional heating. If your current HVAC system is nearing the end of its life, this could be a good time to invest. Heat pumps are pricey, with an average whole-home system costing nearly $20,000; a single-zone system can cost around $6,000. The current 30% tax credit has a cap of $2,000. Water heaters Deadline: December 31 A heat pump water heater is as much as four times as efficient as a standard water heater, and can help save around $200 per year for some homes. The current tax credit covers up to 30% of the cost, with a cap of $2,000. Solar water heaters, which use a rooftop system to heat water, are eligible for a 30% credit with no cap. Weatherization, electrical upgrades, and home energy audits Deadline: December 31 To help make your house more energy-efficient, you can get tax credits of up to 30% on insulation and air sealing ($1,200 cap); exterior doors (up to $500); and windows and skylights ($600). Electrical upgrades are capped at $600. (In total, weatherization and electrical upgrades can't get a credit larger than $1,200 for the year.) Another tax credit offers $150 for a professional home energy audit. Next steps Under the IRA, with incentives that would have been in place for a decade, homeowners could slowly make upgrades as existing equipment wore out. Now they have to make harder decisions about what to prioritize in the next few months. Even without the tax credits, there are still thousands of other incentives in place from states, local governments, and utility companies. The savings calculator from the nonprofit Rewiring America can help you find additioal ways to save. The IRA's rebates for clean energy products weren't cut in the reconciliation bill, and some states have rolled out rebate programs using those funds. Meanwhile, energy prices are expected to keep going up. That's both because of the huge energy demand from companies like data centers and because the Big Beautiful Bill made it much harder to build new renewable energy, the cheapest source of new power. Investing in solar, heat pumps, or other clean devices is 'a way for homeowners to get themselves off the roller coaster of ever-increasing energy prices,' says Alex Amend, communications director at Rewiring America. Even without the tax credits to help with up-front costs, the new equipment can make sense financially over its lifetime. 'As soon as you've flipped the switch, you're going to be saving hundreds of dollars annually,' Amend says. 'That's still very much worth the investment.'
CTV News
21 hours ago
- Automotive
- CTV News
Waterloo Regional Police charge five drivers for obstructed plates within an hour
The Waterloo Regional Police Service is making it clear that drivers could be on the hook for a hefty fine if they obscure their licence plate. In a social media post on Monday, police said they handed out five $110 charges for obstructed plates within a one hour period. The post said, 'Although devices such as tinted plate covers can be purchased at stores or dealerships, it doesn't mean they are legal to use on the road – it's the responsibility of motorists to know the laws of the Highway Traffic Act.' Waterloo Regional Police also shared details of their one-week education campaign. 'Licence plates must be plainly visible at all times, so that officers, toll systems, and/or red-light and automated speed cameras can read them,' they wrote in a media release. 'An obstructed plate also reduces the chances of officers identifying and locating your vehicle if it's stolen.' The problem can be blamed on multiple things, from dirt and debris, to vehicle modifications such as bumper bars and spare tires. Plates that are peeling or faded can also be a factor. Police said they laid 404 obstructed plate charges in 2024.
The Sun
a day ago
- Automotive
- The Sun
Drivers are forgetting to turn off ‘hidden' button in car that ‘could make you drowsy' while sat in traffic
DRIVERS risk their health as they forget to turn off an overlooked button in their car. The hidden button can make you drowsy which could lead to accidents. 1 With temperatures rising outside, you might be blasting your car's air con. However, watch out for one air con setting which could cause sleepiness on the road. Look for a button marked with a little arrow pointing back on itself, often accompanied by a car symbol. Recirculate air This "recirculate air" button is designed to cool down your vehicle's interior even when the air con is off. Rather than drawing in hot air from outside, this button recirculates the air already inside the car. The button can be useful if you're stuck in traffic behind a car spewing out fumes. Since it doesn't draw air from outside, you can avoid unpleasant smells, dust and other pollutants. You also won't overwork your AC to continuously cool down hot air from outside which could save you money. Health risks However, the "recirculate air" button is not meant to be used for longer than 20 minutes, according to one study. Although it helps to save on fuel and cools down your motor faster, it could also cause drowsiness, fatigue and headaches. All UK car dealerships will STOP selling 10,000s of iconic brand's used models impacted by lethal airbag flaw When left turned on for an extended period, the "recirculate air" will increase carbon dioxide levels in your vehicle. As CO2 from your breath builds up in your car, there will be less oxygen for the air con to circulate. This could make drivers lose concentration and impair their reaction times. To maintain CO2 concentrations below 2500 ppm for longer commutes or when driving with several passengers, RC ventilation should be periodically turned off. Dr Christabel Akinola has warned drivers about the dangers of the button on her Instagram account. In a post, she wrote: "This is one of the reasons drivers fall asleep and don't know why or how, leading to accidents. "Please, before you ride in any car and during the trip, make sure you check the dashboard to ensure it's turned off, especially if you have kids."
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Should You Buy A Car Through Costco? Here's What The Auto Program Actually Offers
Americans have a serious love affair with Costco. It's the third-largest retailer on the planet behind Walmart and Amazon, according to a 2024 report from Statista. Where else can you buy a $5 rotisserie chicken alongside items like a one-ounce gold bar, a 72-pound wheel of parmesan cheese, or a cheap, but rather attractive funeral casket for your dearly departed? Costco sells products for your car, too, like discounted tires, batteries, and the company's signature Kirkland brand motor oil. But did you know that you can purchase an entire car from the discount warehouse club? Well, sort of. Since 1989, the Costco Auto Program has been available to purportedly score club members a great deal on new or even used cars. To be clear, you're not actually buying a vehicle through Costco, but instead, through one of its network of approximately 3,000 dealerships, which have been vetted and specially trained to interact with Costco customers. Read more: These Are What You Wanted As First Cars (And What You Got Instead) Prices Are Pre-Negotiated Like most car-buying experiences nowadays, the process of buying a car using Costco's connections begins on the Auto Program's website. Once a suitable vehicle has been identified, a pre-negotiated price can be obtained from participating dealerships. That price potentially includes exclusive discounts that are only available to Costco members due to the high volume of business that the warehouse club funnels to car manufacturers and dealerships. Obviously, the allure of this system is that car buyers receive a lower price than the general public without the need to haggle. If Costco discovers that a dealership inflates the price or added mandatory fees that vary from its price agreement, it can be barred from participating in the program. Note that while Costco's website does provide advice and calculators to figure out monthly payments and how much car you can afford to purchase, it doesn't actually offer financing. Auto loan rates are relatively high as of this writing, but dealers are free to hike those rates even more for additional revenue, which is a profit point that's outside of Costco's jurisdiction. As with any financed car purchase, shoppers are well advised to do some research ahead of time as to what type of interest rates and terms are available through local banks and credit unions, as well as online. That way, buyers can confirm that the loan terms offered by the dealership's finance department are fair. Salespeople Are Held To A High Standard An additional grey area of Costco's Auto Program exists if the buyer has a vehicle to trade in against their new car. Like obtaining financing, the trade-in value won't be discovered until the Costco member visits or speaks with the salesperson further along in the car-buying process. It'll pay to get quotes from sources like CarMax, Carvana, and others to make sure that a fair trade-in value is being proffered. By this point, it should be clear that buying a car using Costco's system isn't quite as easy as visiting a website and completing the process online. You'll definitely interact with a salesperson, which the warehouse club calls "Authorized Dealer Contacts." Not just any salesperson is qualified to transact with Costco members, either. They're required to have been employed at the dealership for a minimum of six months and maintain high customer satisfaction scores. Reportedly, Costco occasionally deploys its employees posing as car buyers to make sure that these high standards are being met. As a whole, the dealerships that Costco accepts to participate in its car-buying program are held to similarly high standards as its salespeople. For example, Costco typically only works with a single well-vetted dealership for each brand in the geographical area of its warehouse stores. That's regardless of whether there are other competing dealers nearby. Moreover, Costco has been known to leverage the purchasing power of its large membership base to negotiate favorable outcomes for its customers in the event that a dispute arises with participating dealerships, even after purchase. Aggressive Negotiators Can Do Better So now that you know the benefits, is it worth purchasing a vehicle using Costco's Auto Program? To begin, you'll need a Costco membership card at a cost of $65 per year, and shockingly, it's not even accepted by the TSA as valid ID. Beyond that, we think it comes down to how much time you're able to dedicate to research, as well as your personal comfort level and experience when it comes to haggling. Costco uses its considerable largess to negotiate discounts with local car dealerships for its members. Additionally, it ensures that the dealership employees who interact with its members are of a high caliber. That said, there are still some aspects of the process that are open to the conventional pitfalls of car buying, like obtaining a loan at a favorable interest rate and getting a decent trade-in value for your old vehicle. So while Costco makes it easier for anybody to get a decent deal, some of the legwork required for scoring a great deal will still be necessary. To be sure, seasoned car buyers who don't mind a possible confrontation and who value money more than some extra time spent can likely beat a Costco deal by working the phone, email, and text messages to correspond with a larger number of dealerships. Likewise, those folks will enjoy a wider selection of vehicles from multiple area dealerships, not just one. Even if that means engaging with the occasional quintessential shady salesperson. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Drivo Revolutionizes Car Rentals in New York with New Business-Focused Services
New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - July 18, 2025) - Drivo, a leading car rental service in New York City, is redefining urban mobility for professionals and businesses. Known for its fast, reliable, and modern rental solutions, Drivo now introduces Business Vans and an innovative Loaner Car Program, designed to meet the demands of corporate travel and dealership support. With a focus on seamless experiences for business travelers, Drivo offers high-quality vehicles perfect for navigating NYC efficiently. From sleek sedans for executives to spacious business vans for team logistics, Drivo ensures every trip is productive and stress-free. Drivo's goal is to take the hassle out of car rentals for busy professionals. With Business Vans, companies can move teams or equipment with ease, while the company's on-demand Loaner Car Program helps dealerships keep their customers satisfied without the burden of managing a fleet. Why Drivo is Different: On-Demand Courtesy Cars - dealerships and service centers can instantly provide customers with quality loaner vehicles without the costs of ownership, maintenance, or logistics. Streamlined Operations - Drivo handles support, billing, and even roadside assistance, freeing businesses from administrative headaches. Smart Reporting - businesses get full visibility into gas usage, tolls, revenue, and more through seamless API integration with their systems. Local Expertise - with operations focused in New York and New Jersey, Drivo ensures faster vehicle sourcing and support. The Loaner Car Program eliminates the common pain points dealerships face - from time-consuming claims processing to hidden operational costs. Instead, Drivo offers a hands-off solution that enhances customer loyalty and satisfaction. For business travelers, Drivo is also the ideal partner for short-term and long-term rentals. Professionals can book in seconds and rely on Drivo's modern fleet and premium service standards. To learn more about Drivo's Business Vans and Loaner Car Program, visit About DrivoDrivo is a modern car rental service based in New York City, providing high-quality vehicles for personal and business use. Focused on convenience, flexibility, and customer satisfaction, Drivo simplifies mobility for individuals and organizations across New York and New Jersey. Media contact:Alexander Leemarketing@ 855-550-0008 To view the source version of this press release, please visit Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
