Qualified Plug-in Electric and Electric Vehicle Credit - Form 8834

Form 8834 allows you to claim the qualified plug-in electric vehicle credit and any electric vehicle passive activity credit allowed for that tax year.

A qualified plug-in electric vehicle is a vehicle propelled to a large extent by an electric motor drawing electricity from a battery that can be recharged from an external source. In general you can be sure a certification from the manufacturer qualifies a vehicle for the credit.

In addition to having a certification, you must own the vehicle, have acquired it between February 17, 2009 and January 1, 2012, have placed it in service during the tax year, have acquired it for use or lease and not resale, and use it primarily in the United States.

Furthermore, the vehicle must be manufactured primarily for use on public streets and its original use must have begun with you.

If you are claiming the credit for a vehicle that counts as depreciable property (one used for business or investment), then the credit is treated as a general business credit.

For a vehicle that is not a piece of depreciable property, the credit is treated as a personal credit against either regular tax or the Alternative Minimum Tax.