The Electric Vehicle Tax Credit is non refundable, so while it could drop your federal tax liability to zero, it won’t contribute to a potential tax refund. For example, if the tax credit for a Kia 2019 Niro EV is $7,500, but your federal tax obligation for the tax year in which you bought the car is only $4,500, you’d only be able to claim a tax credit of $4,500.
The tax credit can be used to offset any tax liability on your tax return due to investment income but it does not contribute to a potential refund.
