Expired, Repealed, and Archived California Incentives and Laws

The following is a list of expired, repealed, and archived incentives, laws, regulations, funding opportunities, or other initiatives related to alternative fuels and vehicles, advanced technologies, or air quality.

Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) Incentive - ECOtality

Through the EV Project, ECOtality offers EVSE at no cost to individuals in the Los Angeles and San Diego metropolitan areas. To be eligible for free home charging stations, individuals living within the specified areas must purchase a qualified plug-in electric vehicle (PEV). Individuals purchasing an eligible PEV should apply at the dealership at the time of vehicle purchase. The EV Project incentive program will also cover most, if not all, of the costs of EVSE installation. All participants in the EV Project incentive program must agree to anonymous data collection after installation. Additional restrictions may apply.

Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) Incentive - Coulomb Technologies

Coulomb Technologies' ChargePoint America program offers EVSE at no cost to individuals or entities in the San Jose, San Francisco Bay, Sacramento, and Los Angeles metropolitan area. To be eligible for free home charging stations, individuals living within the specified areas must purchase a qualified plug-in electric vehicle. Application information is available on the ChargePoint America website. In most cases, installation will be paid for by the EVSE owner; some cities, states, and utilities, however, will provide funding towards installation costs. All participants in the ChargePoint America program must agree to anonymous data collection after installation. Additional restrictions may apply.

Hydrogen Energy Plan

California's 21 interstate freeways are designated as the California Hydrogen Highway Network, and the state is committed to working with legislators, energy providers, automakers, and others to achieve the following by 2010: 1) Build a network of hydrogen fueling stations; 2) ensure that hydrogen vehicles are commercially available for purchase; 3) incorporate hydrogen vehicles into the state fleet; 4) develop safety standards for hydrogen fueling stations and vehicles; and 5) establish incentives to encourage the use of hydrogen vehicles and encourage the development of renewable sources of energy for hydrogen production. (Reference Executive Order S-7-04, 2004, and California Health and Safety Code 43868-43869)

State Biofuels Development Plan

The State of California plans to use biomass resources from agriculture, forestry, and urban wastes to provide transportation fuels and electricity to satisfy California's fuel and energy needs. To increase the use of biomass in fuel production, the state will produce its own biofuels at a minimum of 20% by 2010, 40% by 2020, and 75% by 2050. The California Air Resources Board and the California Energy Commission, in conjunction with other agencies, prepared the Bioenergy Action Plan for California, which recommended: research and development of commercially viable biofuels production and advanced biomass conversion technologies; evaluation of the potential for biofuels to provide a clean, renewable source for hydrogen fuel; and increased acquisition of flexible fuel vehicles to 50% of total new vehicles purchased by state agencies by 2010. (Reference Executive Order S-06-06, 2006)

Alternative Fuel Incentive Development

The California Air Resources Board and California Energy Commission developed the Alternative Fuel Incentive Program to allocate $25 million in incentives to promote the use and production of alternative fuels. Eligible projects include projects in California that promote high efficiency, high mileage, alternative fuel light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicles, for individual and public fleets. Incentives are available to replace the current state vehicle fleet with clean, high mileage alternative fuel vehicles and for the construction of publicly accessible retail alternative fueling stations and fleet fueling facilities, including E85. Incentives are also available for alternative fuel production in California and funding for research, development, and testing of alternative fuels and advancing vehicle technology. (Reference Assembly Bill 1811, 2006)

Alternative Fuel Vehicle (AFV) Rebate Program

The Fueling Alternatives vehicle rebate program is funded by the California Air Resources Board and provides grants of up to $5,000 to consumers who purchase or lease eligible zero emission vehicles (ZEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and AFVs between May 24, 2007, and April 30, 2009. For the purposes of this program, ZEVs include full function battery electric vehicles, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, low-speed or neighborhood electric vehicles, and zero emission motorcycles.

Alternative Fuel Vehicle (AFV) License Fee

In order to equalize the vehicle license fee between AFVs and conventional fuel vehicles, the incremental cost of purchasing an AFV is exempt from the vehicle license fee (of 2%) when the costs are more than the most comparable conventional fuel vehicle, as determined by the California Energy Commission. This reduction applies to new, light-duty AFVs that are certified to meet or exceed Ultra Low Emission Vehicle standards. This program expires January 1, 2009. (Reference California Revenue and Taxation Code 10759.5)

Alternative Fuel and Advanced Technology Research and Development

The Innovative Clean Air Technologies (ICAT) Program co-funds innovative technology demonstration projects that will improve emissions prevention or control while promoting new industries and jobs in California. Proposals related to current California Air Resources Board programs, such as developing alternatives to diesel fuel and diesel engines, increasing zero emission vehicle efficiency, and developing fuel cells and hydrogen technology, are of particular interest. As of October 2011, the ICAT Program is on hold but is expected to resume for future solicitations.

Biofuels Use

The following was repealed by California Health and Safety Code 43860: Public agencies, utilities, and solid waste collection vehicle operators are permitted to use biodiesel or biodiesel fuel blends up to 20% in any retrofitted on-road or off-road vehicle or diesel engine certified by the state whether or not biodiesel is expressly identified as a fuel for use with the retrofit system. (Reference Senate Bill 975, 2005, and California Health and Safety Code 43860)

State Alternative Fuels Plan

The California Energy Commission, in partnership with the California Air Resources Board, prepared the State Alternative Fuels Plan as required by Assembly Bill 1007. The Final Commission Report was adopted on December 5, 2007. (Reference California Health and Safety Code Section 43866)

Hybrid Access to High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lanes

The state urges the President and U.S. Congress to take legislative action to allow single-occupant HEVs that achieve a fuel economy highway rating of at least 45 mpg, and conform to any additional emissions category of the federal Environmental Protection Agency or the ARB, or meet any other requirements identified by the responsible agency, to travel in the state's HOV lanes. (Reference AJR 74, 2004)