California ARB Offering Up to $5K in Rebates for Alt Fuel and Electric Vehicles
24 February 2008
The California Air Resources Board is offering up to $5,000 in rebates to Californians who purchase alternative fuel and electric vehicles. (Earlier post.)
Overall, $1.62 million in funding will be dispensed under the Fueling Alternatives rebate program administered by the California Center for Sustainable Energy. The program is part of $25 million of overall funding that came out of Assembly Bill 1811—authored by Speaker Fabian Núñez (D-Los Angeles) and passed in 2007—which promotes alternative fuel infrastructure and vehicles.
The rebates are available for qualifying vehicles that are purchased or leased between May 24, 2007 and March 31, 2009, unless funding runs out first.
Rebates up to $3,000 are available for Honda and BAF Technologies compressed natural gas vehicles, $1,500 for the Vectrix zero emission motorcycle, and between $950 and $1,300 for certain models of the GEM neighborhood electric vehicle. Up to $5,000 is available for full-function zero emission vehicles once they are added to the list of eligible vehicles.
To receive a rebate, vehicles must be ARB-certified (with the exception of zero emission motorcycles), comply with all federal motor vehicle safety standards, and meet a minimum manufacturer warranty. ARB staff are anticipating most of the rebates to be taken up by consumers who have bought eligible vehicles since last May, and have been waiting for the state funding to be allocated before submitting their rebate applications.
For a complete listing of eligible vehicles, go to www.fuelingalts.energycenter.org.
ARB estimates that there are currently about 25,000 dedicated alternative fuel vehicles in California.
OK, this is a better plan than a Federal proposal that offered incentives for electric vehicles. The Federal proposal was really geared toward hybrids & really offered no further economic help for those wanting a full EV. However, California's rebates still lag French proposals for purchase help for full EVs. Still, California's rebates are completely ahead of any other state.
Posted by: litesong | 24 February 2008 at 10:05 AM
OK, this is a better plan than a Federal proposal that offered incentives for electric vehicles. The Federal proposal was really geared toward hybrids & really offered no further economic help for those wanting a full EV. However, California's rebates still lag French proposals for purchase help for full EVs. Still, California's rebates are completely ahead of any other state.
Posted by: litesong | 24 February 2008 at 10:10 AM
It has to be paid somehow. How about a registration surcharge for all large SUVs and pickups without commercial license.
Posted by: sjc | 24 February 2008 at 10:22 AM
You mean, like the Washington state MPG/displacement tax? What are you, some kind of commie? ;-)
Sounds good to me.
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 24 February 2008 at 10:55 AM
Maybe just on new large SUVs and non-commercial pickups, but the U.S. automakers would have a fit. I guess you can not please everyone.
Posted by: sjc | 24 February 2008 at 11:36 AM
This is going nowhere fast, in the case of NGVs. There are only a handful of CNG filling stations in Northern California. The Honda GX NGV only runs on Natural Gas - it's not dual fuel - so, plan your trip!
I'll stick with my still-on-lease RAV 4 EV... at least there are more chargers around than NG pit stops!
Posted by: Kelly O'Brien | 24 February 2008 at 11:49 AM
Dual fueled make sense to me. If I can refill the NG in the garage for daily commutes and still have long range for trips, that might do it.
Posted by: sjc | 24 February 2008 at 11:58 AM