Tesla and GM have accounted for 44 percent of the 853,500 plug-ins sold in the U.S. since the tax credits took effect Jan. 1, 2010, according to estimates by the Automotive News Data Center.
The two companies are likely to feel the end of the credits differently. Industry experts expect GM to take a bigger hit than Tesla. The federal incentive affects purchasing decisions for lower-priced vehicles such as the sub-$40,000 Chevrolet Volt more than a $75,000-plus Tesla Model S or X, according to research by the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California-Davis.