The U.S. federal tax credit (FTC) of up to $7,500 for the adoption of plug-in electric vehicles (EVs) is being phased out. To better understand the role the FTC has played, this research analyses survey responses from 3,452 recipients of California’s state-wide EV rebate (CVRP) who purchased a plug-in hybrid EV (PHEV) from November 2016 through December 2018. This work uses logistic regression to identify qualities (demographic, household, and transaction characteristics; motivations; and experience) associated with consumers rating the FTC “Extremely Important” to making their PHEV purchase possible. Findings both inform retrospective assessments and calibrate expectations about future market impacts.