One Reason EVs Are Losing Money Hand Over Fist -- and One Detroit Auto's Solution

On the one hand, the world is driving toward mass-adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) as they slowly but surely take over global roads. On the other hand, the U.S. is grappling with whipsaw effects from slower-than-anticipated adoption, the loss of the $7,500 federal tax credit for EV purchases, implementation of tariffs on import vehicles and auto parts, and the rollback of emissions and other environmental standards.

If you're an auto investor who doesn't look fondly upon those developments, just wait a few minutes and it'll probably change, for better or worse. Here's the latest issue facing investors and the EV industry.

Profit-eroding incentives

With the federal $7,500 tax credit ending with the month of September, automakers trying to move EV inventory are digging into their own pockets to drive demand. General Motors (NYSE: GM) and Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) had previously found an intriguing loophole to use their finance arms to place down payments on EVs with intentions to pass that along to the consumer later. But both quickly ended those programs after pressure from politicians claimed the workarounds were "nefarious." Now the two Detroit auto icons are offering competitive lease payments and other costly incentives to make EV purchases compelling.

Hyundai Motor decided to push a $7,500 cash incentive on its 2025 Ioniq 5 for October, while also cutting the small crossover's price by nearly $10,000 for 2026. Similarly, Ford and GM's crosstown rival, Stellantis, began offering generous incentives to offset the loss of the federal tax credit immediately following its end. Those are just a handful of examples of how incentives are on the rise, but let's dig a little deeper as the issue spans the industry.

EV incentives peaked in July at 16% of average transaction prices (ATPs), according to Stephanie Valdez Streaty, Cox Automotive's director of industry insights, and at $8,900 during September the incentives remained above 15% of ATPs. That's more than twice the level for overall U.S. light vehicles that reached 7.4% in September, and still significantly above pre-pandemic levels that were typically around 10% of ATPs.

Unfortunately for automakers and investors alike, these profit-eroding incentives are a necessary evil due to the price gap between combustion engine vehicles and EVs. The average price for a new U.S. light vehicle was $47,962 in March 2025, according to Kelley Blue Book data cited by Experian, which remains near record highs. Meanwhile, the ATP for an EV in September reached $58,124, according to data from Cox.

Image source: Getty Images.

What's the solution?

For automakers and investors, reducing these profit-killing incentives is important, and the arrival of truly affordable models is imperative. On that front, there's a bit of good news. One example is none other than General Motors' unveiling of the new Chevrolet Bolt.

The Chevy Bolt was released for the 2017 model year and was the automaker's first legitimate attempt at a modern EV. It was lauded as a great car in an ideal size and segment at a compelling price -- but due to an extended recall GM retired the vehicle in 2023 despite the Bolt posting its best sales year.

Now the Chevrolet Bolt is coming back in the early months of 2026 for round two.

The look and design of the two Bolts are very similar, especially viewing the exterior. The new Bolt offers about the same horsepower and will charge about three times faster than the previous generation. But the real kicker, especially for investors, is the price tag -- it ranges from $28,995 for the LT trim up to $32,000 for an RS trim, with an LT trim package between the two at $29,990. If you're keeping track, that makes the upcoming Bolt the cheapest EV announced across the U.S. market. The only problem is that currently the upcoming Bolt is allegedly only available for a limited time.

What it all means

While GM is preparing to launch the new Bolt at a compelling price point, the ever-changing EV industry dynamics aren't as pleasant for other automakers. That's true even for EV juggernaut Tesla, which has recently launched "Standard" and more affordable trims of its popular Model 3 and Model Y.

However, Tesla's strategy wasn't to start from the ground up for a truly compelling new affordable EV. Rather, the automaker opted to slash features and pinch pennies. All in all, Tesla was able to drop the Model Y Standard price down to $39,990 without shipping, about $5,000 less than the previous base price, and the Model 3 Standard down to $38,630, roughly $5,500 in savings. The problem is that due to the removal of features, the value proposition may not be compelling, and the lower-priced models could end up cannibalizing sales of more profitable trims and eroding margins themselves.

Further, for investors of pure-play EV makers such as Rivian and Lucid, the pain will be more drastic. These EV makers don't have a line of combustion engine vehicles to fall back on while the markets work through all the EV industry changes, policy rollbacks, and incentive spend.

The solution is as it's always been: produce a compelling EV at a comparable price to combustion engine counterparts. But the industry simply isn't quite there yet. Long-term investors would be wise to prepare for a few bumpy quarters and more hefty EV losses while incentives and high costs take a toll. The future is bright, but patience is required.

Daniel Miller has positions in Ford Motor Company and General Motors. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Tesla. The Motley Fool recommends General Motors and Stellantis. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.