Japan CEV Subsidy Cut 2027: Super-ONE, bZ4X ¥1.3M to ¥780K

In short: from January registrations, standard cars lose about 40% and kei cars about 20%

Based on the Next Generation Vehicle Promotion Center (NeV), "Subsidy amount by model" (as of 21 October 2026, private use). Amounts are for cars registered on or after 1 April 2026 and include the add-on based on the manufacturer's efforts. Some Leaf and Ariya grades (such as the Ariya NISMO B9) have different amounts. [NeV: Subsidy amount by model]

For models not in the table, you can check this year's amount and the amount from January in the same list. Search by model name and grade.

The cap drops to 60% for electric vehicles, and to 80% only for kei cars

The caps for each category are shown below. Cars rated highest in a points-based assessment of the manufacturer's efforts receive the cap.

From METI, "Review of subsidy amounts under the FY2025 supplementary budget CEV subsidy" (21 October 2026). [METI: Subsidy review]

Cars with low scores also drop to roughly 60%; for example, ¥150,000 becomes ¥90,000. Only the top-rated kei cars keep 80%.

The reason for the cut is the budget. This year's subsidy is about ¥110 billion. Because there have been many applications, it is expected to run out before the final application deadline (12 February 2027). The cut is meant to make the money last as long as possible if the subsidy continues from January[METI: FY2025 supplementary CEV subsidy].

The registration date on the shaken-sho decides. Ask your dealer whether you can register by 31 December

The new amounts apply to cars that are newly registered (or, for kei cars, notified) as new vehicles on or after 1 January 2027. Even if you sign the contract in December, you will get the reduced amount if registration slips into January.

If you are aiming for this year's amount, take these steps in order.

1. Ask your dealer for the planned registration date on the shaken-sho. Whether the car can be registered by 31 December is the key point.
2. Finish paying or sign the loan contract by the registration date. If that is done, the application deadline is within one month of the registration date[NeV: FAQ].
3. Once the car is registered, submit the application without waiting for delivery. If registration and payment are complete, you can apply before delivery.

For December registrations, the budget may run out first

Registering this year does not guarantee the subsidy. METI expects applications under the current budget to close between early and late December (as of 9 October). Applications are accepted first come, first served by the date they reach the secretariat, and the cut-off is the day before the budget is reached[METI: FY2025 supplementary CEV subsidy].

What happens after applications close has not been decided. In a past fiscal year, the budget was exceeded and applications closed with those arriving by 17 December. In that case, the next year's subsidy covered cars registered on or after 1 January[NeV: FAQ].

If the same thing happens, cars registered between the close of applications and 31 December may get neither subsidy. On the other hand, according to press reports, METI is negotiating with the Ministry of Finance to keep the subsidy going without a gap even if the budget is used up, for example by applying the next year's budget retroactively[Nikkan Jidosha Shimbun].

• If your car is registered in the first half of December and you apply right away, you are likely to get this year's amount
• If registration falls in the second half of December, it becomes a race against the announcement that applications have closed
• Even if budget remains, only cars registered by 1 February 2027 are covered, and the application must arrive by 12 February[NeV: Final deadline notice]
• If your documents are incomplete and the problem is not fixed before applications close, no subsidy is paid. A missing copy of the loan contract is given as an example

Before you rush: the four-year ownership rule and local subsidies

If you received the national subsidy for a private car and sell it within four years of registration, you must pay back part of the subsidy[NeV: Subsidy amount by model]. The larger the subsidy, the more you repay if you sell early. How the repayment is calculated and when the subsidy is paid are explained in When the EV subsidy is paid and how much you repay.

This review applies only to the national subsidy. Prefectural and municipal subsidies are separate schemes, and each sets its own amounts and application periods. For Tokyo's top-up, see Tokyo's EV subsidy. For other areas, see EV subsidies in all 47 prefectures.

Summary

• For cars newly registered on or after 1 January 2027, the national subsidy will be 60–80% of the current amount
• The cap for electric vehicles falls from ¥1.25 million to ¥750,000, and for kei cars from ¥550,000 to ¥440,000
• The Super-ONE and bZ4X drop from ¥1.3 million to ¥780,000, a cut of ¥520,000
• The amount is decided by the registration date on the shaken-sho, not the contract date or delivery date
• The current budget is expected to run out between early and late December. Even if you register this year, a late application may not be accepted

References (sources)

• METI, "Review of subsidy amounts under the FY2025 supplementary budget Clean Energy Vehicle Introduction Promotion Subsidy (CEV subsidy)" (21 October 2026, PDF, in Japanese)
• METI, "FY2025 supplementary budget Clean Energy Vehicle Introduction Promotion Subsidy" (forecast of application closing, as of 9 October, in Japanese)
• Next Generation Vehicle Promotion Center, "Subsidy amount by model" (as of 21 October 2026, PDF, in Japanese)
• Next Generation Vehicle Promotion Center, "CEV subsidy (vehicles) FAQ" (application deadline, past example of early closing, PDF, in Japanese)
• Next Generation Vehicle Promotion Center, "Final deadlines for registration and applications" (9 October 2026, PDF, in Japanese)
• Nikkan Jidosha Shimbun, "METI announces review of the CEV subsidy from January 2027" (Yahoo! News Japan, in Japanese)

This article provides general information based on materials published as of 26 October 2026. Subsidy amounts and application status may change. Before buying, check the latest guidance from your dealer and the Next Generation Vehicle Promotion Center.