CFR > Title 26 - Internal Revenue > CHAPTER I—INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY > SUBCHAPTER A—INCOME TAX (Parts 1–19) > PART 1—INCOME TAXES > 1.30-1—Definition of qualified electric vehicle and recapture of credit for qualified electric vehicle.

1.30-1—Definition of qualified electric vehicle and recapture of credit for qualified electric vehicle.

(a) Definition of qualified electric vehicle. A qualified electric vehicle is a motor vehicle that meets the requirements of section 30(c). Accordingly, a qualified electric vehicle does not include any motor vehicle that has ever been used (for either personal or business use) as a non-electric vehicle.
(b) Recapture of credit for qualified electric vehicle— (1) In general— If a recapture event occurs with respect to a taxpayer's qualified electric vehicle, the taxpayer must add the recapture amount to the amount of tax due in the taxable year in which the recapture event occurs. The recapture amount is not treated as income tax imposed on the taxpayer by chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code for purposes of computing the alternative minimum tax or determining the amount of any other allowable credits for the taxable year in which the recapture event occurs.
(ii) Reduction of carryover. If a recapture event occurs with respect to a taxpayer's qualified electric vehicle, and if a portion of the section 30 credit for the cost of that vehicle was disallowed under section 30(b)(3)(B) and consequently added to the taxpayer's minimum tax credit pursuant to section 53(d)(1)(B)(iii), the taxpayer must reduce its minimum tax credit carryover by an amount equal to the portion of any minimum tax credit carryover attributable to the disallowed section 30 credit, multiplied by the recapture percentage for the taxable year of recapture. Similarly, the taxpayer must reduce any other credit carryover amounts (such as under section 469) by the portion of the carryover attributable to section 30, multiplied by the recapture percentage.
(2) Recapture event— (i) In general. A recapture event occurs if, within 3 full years from the date a qualified electric vehicle is placed in service, the vehicle ceases to be a qualified electric vehicle. A vehicle ceases to be a qualified electric vehicle if—
(A) The vehicle is modified so that it is no longer primarily powered by electricity;
(B) The vehicle is used in a manner described in section 50(b); or
(C) The taxpayer receiving the credit under section 30 sells or disposes of the vehicle and knows or has reason to know that the vehicle will be used in a manner described in paragraph (b)(2)(i)(A) or (B) of this section.
(ii) Exception for disposition. Except as provided in paragraph (b)(2)(i)(C) of this section, a sale or other disposition (including a disposition by reason of an accident or other casualty) of a qualified electric vehicle is not a recapture event.
(3) Recapture amount. The recapture amount is equal to the recapture percentage times the decrease in the credits allowed under section 30 for all prior taxable years that would have resulted solely from reducing to zero the cost taken into account under section 30 with respect to such vehicle, including any credits allowed attributable to section 30 (such as under sections 53 and 469 ).
(4) Recapture date. The recapture date is the actual date of the recapture event unless a recapture event described in paragraph (b)(2)(i)(B) of this section occurs, in which case the recapture date is the first day of the recapture year.
(5) Recapture percentage. For purposes of this section, the recapture percentage is—
(i) 100, if the recapture date is within the first full year after the date the vehicle is placed in service;
(ii) 66 2/3, if the recapture date is within the second full year after the date the vehicle is placed in service; or
(iii) 33 1/3, if the recapture date is within the third full year after the date the vehicle is placed in service.
(6) Basis adjustment. As of the first day of the taxable year in which the recapture event occurs, the basis of the qualified electric vehicle is increased by the recapture amount and the carryover reductions taken into account under paragraphs (b)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section, respectively. For a vehicle that is of a character that is subject to an allowance for depreciation, this increase in basis is recoverable over the remaining recovery period for the vehicle beginning as of the first day of the taxable year of recapture.
(7) Application of For purposes of section 1245, the amount of the credit allowable under section 30(a) with respect to any qualified electric vehicle that is (or has been) of a character subject to an allowance for depreciation is treated as a deduction allowed for depreciation under section 167. Therefore, upon a sale or other disposition of a depreciable qualified electric vehicle, section 1245 will apply to any gain recognized to the extent the basis of the depreciable vehicle was reduced under section 30(d)(1) net of any basis increase described in paragraph (b)(6) of this section.
(8) Examples. The following examples illustrate the provisions of this section:

Code of Federal Regulations

Example 1. A, a calendar-year taxpayer, purchases and places in service for personal use on January 1, 1995, a qualified electric vehicle costing $25,000. On A's 1995 federal income tax return, A claims a credit of $2,500. On January 2, 1996, A sells the vehicle to an unrelated third party who subsequently converts the vehicle into a non-electric vehicle on October 15, 1996. There is no recapture upon the sale of the vehicle by A provided A did not know or have reason to know that the purchaser intended to convert the vehicle to non-electric use.

Code of Federal Regulations

Example 2. B, a calendar-year taxpayer, purchases and places in service for personal use on October 11, 1994, a qualified electric vehicle costing $20,000. On B's 1994 federal income tax return, B claims a credit of $2,000, which reduces B's tax by $2,000. The basis of the vehicle is reduced to $18,000 ($20,000−$2,000). On March 8, 1996, B sells the vehicle to a tax-exempt entity. Because B knowingly sold the vehicle to a tax-exempt entity described in section 50(b) in the second full year from the date the vehicle was placed in service, B must recapture $1,333 ($2,000×66 2/3 percent). This recapture amount increases B's tax by $1,333 on B's 1996 federal income tax return and is added to the basis of the vehicle as of January 1, 1996, the beginning of the taxable year in which the recapture event occurred.

Code of Federal Regulations

Example 3. X, a calendar-year taxpayer, purchases and places in service for business use on January 1, 1994, a qualified electric vehicle costing $30,000. On X's 1994 federal income tax return, X claims a credit of $3,000, which reduces X's tax by $3,000. The basis of the vehicle is reduced to $27,000 ($30,000−$3,000) prior to any adjustments for depreciation. On March 8, 1995, X converts the qualified electric vehicle into a gasoline-propelled vehicle. Because X modified the vehicle so that it is no longer primarily powered by electricity in the second full year from the date the vehicle was placed in service, X must recapture $2,000 ($3,000 × 662/3 percent). This recapture amount increases X's tax by $2,000 on X's 1995 federal income tax return. The recapture amount of $2,000 is added to the basis of the vehicle as of January 1, 1995, the beginning of the taxable year of recapture, and to the extent the property remains depreciable, the adjusted basis is recoverable over the remaining recovery period.

Code of Federal Regulations

Example 4. The facts are the same as in Example 3. In 1996, X sells the vehicle for $31,000, recognizing a gain from this sale. Under paragraph (b)(7) of this section, section 1245 will apply to any gain recognized on the sale of a depreciable vehicle to the extent the basis of the vehicle was reduced by the section 30 credit net of any basis increase from recapture of the section 30 credit. Accordingly, the gain from the sale of the vehicle is subject to section 1245 to the extent of the depreciation allowance for the vehicle plus the credit allowed under section 30 ($3,000), less the previous recapture amount ($2,000). Any remaining amount of gain may be subject to other applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code.
(c) Effective date. This section is effective on October 14, 1994. If the recapture date is before the effective date of this section, a taxpayer may use any reasonable method to recapture the benefit of any credit allowable under section 30(a) consistent with section 30 and its legislative history. For this purpose, the recapture date is defined in paragraph (b)(4) of this section.

Code of Federal Regulations

[60 FR 39649, Aug. 3, 1995]