Massachusetts hasn’t cut its EV rebate yet, but the state has started the process that could shrink it. If you’re planning to buy a Tesla in Massachusetts and count on the MOR-EV rebate to help pay for it, here’s what’s actually happening and when it matters.
What the rebate pays today
Right now, Massachusetts offers a $3,500 rebate for buying or leasing a new battery-electric vehicle with an MSRP up to $55,000 — a cap that a base Model 3 or a lower-trim Model Y still fits under. Income-qualifying residents in programs like SNAP or MassHealth can add another $1,500 through MOR-EV+, and trading in an old gas or diesel vehicle at the same time adds $1,000 more. None of that has changed.
What Massachusetts is proposing to change
On July 17, 2026, the state’s Department of Energy Resources filed proposed amendments to the regulation that governs MOR-EV. The proposal would lower the vehicle price caps for light-duty new and used vehicle rebates, adjust rebate amounts for pickup trucks and heavier vehicle classes, and — most relevant if you’d rely on the extra $1,500 — add a new income threshold as an eligibility requirement for the MOR-EV+ adder that doesn’t currently exist.
The state hasn’t published the specific new dollar figures or income cutoffs in the proposal text itself; the amendment describes the direction of the changes without locking in exact numbers yet, which will get worked out through the rulemaking process below.
Nothing changes until this process finishes
This is a proposal, not a done deal. The public comment period runs through 5 p.m. on September 4, 2026, with a virtual hearing on September 1 and an in-person hearing on September 2. Massachusetts residents can weigh in before any final version takes effect. Until the state adopts a final rule, the current $3,500 base rebate, $55,000 price cap, and existing adders stand as they are today.
What to do if you’re buying soon
If you’re ordering a Tesla in Massachusetts in the next few weeks, the rebate you’d get today is the one described above — the proposed changes aren’t in effect and won’t be decided until after the comment period closes. If you’re relying specifically on the MOR-EV+ income adder and your purchase timeline stretches into the fall, it’s worth checking mor-ev.org again closer to your delivery date, since that’s the piece most likely to gain new restrictions once the rule is finalized.
Photo by Beth Fitzpatrick.