Air Resources Board unveils $3.7 million in rebates for clean vehicles
SACRAMENTO – On March 17th the California Air Resources Board announced $3.7 in rebates for zero-emission and plug-in hybrid vehicle rebates for
California drivers as part of an overall $42.3 million program that Governor
Schwarzenegger approved in 2007 to spur technological innovation in the
transportation sector.
The rebates offer up to $5,000 for the purchase of zero-emission and plug-in
hybrid light-duty vehicles and up to $20,000 for the purchase of
ARB-certified or approved zero-emission commercial vehicles on a first-come,
first-served basis. Funding for the program comes from a dedicated revenue
stream that draws from smog abatement, vehicle registration, and vessel
registration fees.
“These rebates will make cleaner cars more affordable for California
consumers and give businesses and local governments an incentive to add
advanced vehicles to their fleets,” said ARB Chairman Mary D. Nichols. “The
monies get innovative vehicle technologies on the road more quickly so
California can meet its clean air and climate change goals.”
Rebates are available to individuals, business owners and government
entities in California that purchase or lease new eligible zero-emission or
plug-in hybrid electric light-duty vehicles now. Eligible vehicles are cars,
trucks, commercial
medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, motorcycles or neighborhood electric
vehicles.
In October 2007, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed AB 118 which provides
approximately $200 million annually through 2015 to the California Energy
Commission, the Bureau of Automotive Repair and the ARB to fund air quality
improvement projects that will accelerate clean engine technologies. ARB
was appropriated approximately $42.3 million to fund air quality improvement
programs that will pay for cleaner equipment such as hybrid truck and buses,
zero-emission and plug-in hybrid cars, and motorcycles. The amount of
funding available to pay for these technologies is dependent on the amount
of revenues generated from vehicle and smog abatement fees.
Cars and trucks account for over half of the emissions that contribute to
ozone and particulate matter as well as about 30 percent of the total
greenhouse gas emissions in California.
Zero-emission vehicles and near-zero emission vehicles are a key element of
California’s plan for attaining health-based air quality as required in the
federal Clean Air Act.
Exhaust from cars and trucks have been known to exacerbate a variety of
conditions such as lung and heart disease, and asthma, and even contribute
to premature death. Cleaner vehicles reduce California smog and climate
change emissions, and save consumers money.
A complete list of eligible vehicles, application and rebate instructions
can be found at: http://cvrp.energycenter.org
To learn more about what you can do to reduce your individual greenhouse gas
emissions, visit ARB’s carbon calculator at http://www.coolcalifornia.org
The Air Resources Board is a department of the California Environmental
Protection Agency. ARB’s mission is to promote and protect public health,
welfare, and ecological resources through effective reduction of air
pollutants while recognizing and considering effects on the economy. The
ARB oversees all air pollution control efforts in California to attain and
maintain health based air quality standards.