The California Air Resources Board announced $3.7 million in rebates for zero-emissions and plug-in hybrid vehicle rebates for California drivers as part of an overall $42.3 million program that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger approved in 2007 to spur technological innovation in the transportation sector.
The rebates offer up to $5,000 for the purchase of zero-emissions and plug-in hybrid light-duty vehicles and up to $20,000 for the purchase of CARB-certified or approved zero-emissions 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,” says CARB 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-emissions 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, Schwarzenegger signed AB 118 which provides about $200 million annually through 2015 to the California Energy Commission, the Bureau of Automotive Repair and CARB to fund air quality improvement projects that will accelerate clean engine technologies. CARB was appropriated about $42.3 million to fund air quality improvement programs that will pay for cleaner equipment such as hybrid trucks and buses, zero-emissions 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.
A complete list of eligible vehicles and application and rebate instructions can be found at: http://cvrp.energycenter.org.
