CA Legislature Backs New Incentives for Electric Cars

The goal is to have zero-emission or plug-in hybrid cars account for 15 percent of new vehicles sold each year by 2025 and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050.

The California State Legislature has passed a package of legislation authored by Assemblymember Bob Blumenfield (D-San Fernando Valley) to make electric vehicle (EV) ownership a more affordable and practical choice for Californians. The bills are now pending with the governor for his signature or veto.

“We must make electric cars a more affordable and practical choice for Californians,” said Blumenfield. “My Clean Car Package encourages Californians to buy them by making it easier to buy, fuel and commute in them. By signing these bills, the governor can encourage Californians to buy cleaner cars and foster the market for this technology and the companies that provide good, green jobs in our communities.”

Blumenfield’s Clean Car Package is composed of the following bills.

• AB 2502 allows car dealers to include the cost of accelerated electric vehicle charging stations - including installation at their home – within EV purchase financing for consumers. This equipment can fully recharge an electric vehicle overnight. It typically costs a few thousand dollars that, if entirely out of pocket, is a big obstacle for consumers. It unanimously passed the Assembly August 31, 69-0, following a 37-0 Senate vote.

• AB 2853 requires the state to develop a plan for equipping state owned parking lots and park and ride lots with electric charges and alternative fuel infrastructure, and removes legal barriers that make this difficult. It also requires the development of additional policies, such as preferential spaces and discounted parking prices, for alternatively fueled and electric vehicles at state owned garages and park and ride lots. It passed the Legislature earlier this week with a 53-26 Assembly vote, following a 23-13 Senate vote.

• AB 2405 allows one-occupant, alternatively fueled vehicles with a Clean Air Vehicle Sticker free access to carpool lanes that are converted to High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes. HOT lane expansion projects are currently underway in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Diego regions. Such conversions undermine the sticker program, which is overseen by the DMV since 1999. A list of vehicles eligible for the sticker program is available online at http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/carpool/carpool.htm. This bill passed the Legislature earlier this week with a 52-27 Assembly vote, following a 21-15 Senate vote.

New clean vehicles emit 34% fewer global warming gasses and 75% fewer smog emissions. California is working to have zero-emission or plug-in hybrid cars account for 15 percent of new vehicles sold each year by 2025. If achieved, it is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050.

Blumenfield’s Clean Car Package has wide ranging support. Supporters of its components include the Alliance for Automobile Manufacturers, the Coalition for Clean Air, the American Lung Association, CalSTART, and CODA Automotive. Further information about each bill is available at http://www.leginfo.ca.gov.