California Lemon Law for Electric Vehicles (Tesla, Rivian, Lucid)

Electric vehicles are covered by California's lemon law exactly the same way gasoline cars are. The Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act doesn't care what powers the vehicle — if a manufacturer can't fix a substantial, warranty-covered defect after a reasonable number of attempts, you may be entitled to a buyback, replacement, or cash settlement. What's different about EVs is the kind of defects that come up.

Common EV defects that lead to lemon law claims

• Charging failures — the vehicle won't accept a charge, charges intermittently, or can't fast-charge.
• Battery problems — sudden capacity drops, failures, or battery warnings.
• Software and touchscreen defects — frozen or rebooting screens, failed updates, lost functionality.
• Drivetrain and motor issues — power loss, jerking, or complete failure to drive.
• Driver-assistance and braking glitches — including phantom braking and malfunctioning sensors.
• Build-quality defects — water leaks, panel and seal problems, and persistent rattles.

EVs are covered like any other vehicle

The lemon law applies to new, leased, and certified pre-owned electric vehicles with a manufacturer's warranty — whether it's a Tesla, Rivian, Lucid, or an EV from a legacy automaker. As with any lemon law claim, the manufacturer pays your attorney fees if you win, so pursuing an EV claim costs you nothing out of pocket. Mousavi Law Firm has secured buybacks involving EV charging problems, screen and software defects, and related issues.

Why EV claims can play out differently

EV manufacturers often push over-the-air software updates to address problems, and a string of update attempts that fail to resolve a defect can support your claim much like repeated trips to the shop. That makes documentation especially important: keep records of every service visit, error message, and update, and note when a problem persists despite a "fix." Because some EV makers handle warranty issues through their own service centers, having a clear paper trail strengthens your position.

What you can recover

Successful EV lemon law claims generally result in a buyback (a refund of what you've paid, minus a mileage offset), a replacement vehicle, or a cash-and-keep settlement. The remedies are the same as for gas vehicles — see our guide on how a California buyback is calculated for the details. If you think your EV is a lemon, a free case review will tell you whether your repair history qualifies.