Could my income level prevent me from taking the new clean vehicle credit

Yes, your income level could prevent you from taking the new clean vehicle credit. Specifically, you may not claim the credit if your modified adjusted gross income (AGI) exceeds certain thresholds. This limitation is based on the lesser of your modified AGI for the year that the new clean vehicle was placed in service or for the preceding year. The relevant modified AGI thresholds are as follows:

• Married filing jointly or filing as a qualifying surviving spouse or a qualifying widow(er): $300,000
• Head of household: $225,000
• All other taxpayers: $150,000

Your modified AGI is the amount from line 11 of your Form 1040 plus:

• Any amount on line 45 or line 50 of Form 2555, Foreign Earned Income.
• Any amount excluded from gross income because it was received from sources in Puerto Rico or American Samoa.

If your filing status changes between the preceding year and the current year, you may claim the new clean vehicle credit if your modified AGI is less than or equal to the threshold applicable to your filing status for the preceding year or current year.

Sources:
§ 30D. Clean vehicle credit
Instructions for Form 8936 (2023)
FS-2023-22
FS-2023-8
FS-2024-14
FS-2023-29