$3,500 Off Your First New EV? California’s “MyFirstEV” Program Just Changed The Game with Mike Murphy

You heard it here first! Back in January of this year, Mike Murphy, founder and CEO of EVs for All America, said he was cooking up a California incentive for first time EV buyers. Back then, I only half believed him. Fast forward to today: the “MyFirstEV” program is now live in California, with up to $3,500 for new EVs and $1,750 for used, backed by 13 automakers and a coalition that actually got it through Sacramento. In this episode, Mike explains how the program works, why it’s focused on converting first time EV buyers, and how matching funds from automakers turn a state budget line into a market moving lever. We also talked about what other states can steal from this playbook, why “let the free market decide” is a fantasy in a world dominated by China’s EV push, and what’s at stake for American manufacturing and national security. Oh, and yes, Mike also recounts his story of driving a Porsche Cayenne EV 3,000 miles (across the country from New Hampshire to LA) in six days, nearly torching a Bucee’s with a drone, and why today’s public charging landscape feels like a different planet compared to 2023.