The California Air Resources Board (CARB) opened the second round of its Clean Off-Road Equipment Voucher Incentive Project (CORE) today, providing point-of-sale discounts on off-road zero-emission equipment. The project is administered by CALSTART and has $125 million in funding available, more than double the amount allocated to the project when it first launched in January 2020.

Originally only for freight, in 2022, CORE is expanding to include funding for the commercial harbor craft and agriculture and construction sectors.

Key elements include:

• Qualified participants will receive vouchers for point-of-sale discounts on off-road zero-emission equipment, up to a maximum of $500,000 per voucher.

• There is no requirement to “scrap,” sell, or retire existing equipment.

• Additional funding may be available for charging/refueling infrastructure, equipment operated in disadvantaged communities, and small businesses.

CORE supports the following nine equipment categories:

• On- and off-road terminal tractors

• Truck- and trailer-mounted transport refrigeration units (TRUs)

• Large forklifts and cargo-handling equipment

• Airport ground-support equipment

• Railcar movers and switcher locomotives

• Mobile power units (MPUs) and mobile shore-power cable management systems

• Construction equipment

• Agricultural equipment

• Commercial harbor craft

The first round of CORE resulted in more than 460 vouchers for vehicles and electric vehicle supply equipment totaling more than $62 million, with terminal tractors being the most requested equipment type.

CORE is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, improving public health and the environment, and providing meaningful benefits to the most disadvantaged communities, low-income communities, and low-income households.