An electric vehicle that qualifies the owner to claim a nonrefundable tax credit. A qualified electric vehicle must have at least four wheels and be designed for public use. It must also be powered primarily by an electric motor drawing its charge from rechargable batteries or fuel cells. The vehicle must be driven almost exclusively in the U.S.


In order to claim the qualified electric vehicle credit, the taxpayer must have purchased the vehicle new and for personal or business use. The vehicle cannot be purchased for resale, and it cannot have been used as a nonelectric vehicle at any time. The credit is claimed on IRS Form 8834.