Search Federal and State Laws and Incentives

The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District and the South Coast Air Quality Management District administer the Enhanced Fleet Modernization Program (EFMP) Pilot Retire and Replace program, providing incentives to replace a vehicle eligible for retirement with a more fuel-efficient vehicle. Used vehicles must be no more than eight years old and applicants must live in the San Joaquin Valley or South Coast air basins. Eligible replacement vehicles must meet a minimum fuel economy average by model year or average at least 35 miles per gallon (mpg). Alternative fuel vehicles are also eligible, including plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and zero emission vehicles (ZEVs). Funding for alternative transportation mobility options, such as public transportation or car sharing, is also available in lieu of purchasing another vehicle. The incentive amounts vary by income level as compared to the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) and replacement vehicle type.

For more information, including eligible vehicles and applicable requirements, see the California Air Resources Board website. (Reference California Health and Safety Code 44062.3 and 44125)

The California Department of General Services (DGS) is responsible for maintaining specifications and standards for passenger cars and light-duty trucks that are purchased or leased for state office, agency, and department use. These specifications include minimum vehicle emissions standards and encourage the purchase or lease of fuel-efficient and alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs). On an annual basis, DGS must compile information including, but not limited to, the number of AFVs and hybrid electric vehicles acquired, the locations of the alternative fuel pumps available for those vehicles, and the total amount of alternative fuels used.

Vehicles the state owns or leases that are capable of operating on alternative fuel must operate on that fuel unless the alternative fuel is not available. Additionally, the California State and Consumer Services Agency, in consultation with DGS and other appropriate state agencies, must develop, implement, and submit to the California Legislature and governor a plan to increase the state fleet's use of alternative fuels, synthetic lubricants, and fuel-efficient vehicles. This must be done by reducing or displacing the fleet's consumption of petroleum products by 20% by January 1, 2020, as compared to the 2003 consumption level. DGS must also:

• Take steps to transfer vehicles between agencies and departments to ensure that the most fuel-efficient vehicles are used and to eliminate the least fuel-efficient vehicles from the state's motor vehicle fleet;
• Submit annual progress reports to the California Department of Finance, related legislative committees, and the general public via the DGS website;
• Encourage other agencies to operate AFVs on the alternative fuel for which they are designed, to the extent feasible;
• Encourage the development of commercial fueling infrastructure at or near state vehicle fueling or parking sites;
• Work with other agencies to incentivize and promote state employee use of AFVs through preferential or reduced-cost parking, access to electric vehicle charging, or other means, to the extent feasible; and
• Establish a more stringent fuel economy standard than the 2007 standard.

(Reference Executive Order S-14-09, 2009, and California Public Resources Code 25722.5 - 25722.9)

When awarding a vehicle procurement contract, every city, county, and special district, including school and community college districts, may require that 75% of the passenger cars and/or light-duty trucks acquired be energy-efficient vehicles. By definition, this includes hybrid electric vehicles and alternative fuel vehicles that meet California's advanced technology partial zero emission vehicle (AT PZEV) standards. Vehicle procurement contract evaluations may consider fuel economy and life cycle factors for scoring purposes. (Reference California Public Resources Code 25725-25726)

The California Air Resources Board (ARB) enforces regulations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles operating inefficiently with under inflated tires. These regulations apply to vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less. Automotive service providers performing or offering to perform automotive maintenance or repair services in the state must:

• Check and inflate vehicle tires to the manufacturer recommended tire pressure rating, with air or nitrogen as appropriate, using a tire pressure gauge with a total permissible error of no more than plus/minus two pounds per square inch, when performing maintenance or repair;
• Indicate on the vehicle service invoice that a tire inflation service was completed and specify the resulting pressure measurements;
• Have access to a tire inflation reference published within the last three years; and
• Keep a copy of the service invoice for at least three years and make the invoice available to ARB or an authorized representative upon request.

Box-type trailers that are at least 53 feet long and the heavy-duty tractors that pull these trailers must be equipped with fuel-efficient tires and aerodynamic trailer devices that improve fuel economy and lower greenhouse gas emissions. Tractors and trailers subject to the regulation must either use U.S. Environmental Protection Agency SmartWay certified tractors and trailers or retrofit existing equipment with SmartWay verified technologies. Vehicle owners must comply with these regulations when operating on California highways regardless of where the vehicles are registered. Exemptions apply for some local- and short-haul tractors and trailers. The compliance schedule depends on the type and age of the tractor or trailer. (Reference California Code of Regulations Title 17, Section 95300-95311)

The California Transportation Commission (Commission) and the California Transportation Agency (Agency) must create a Road Usage Charge (RUC) Technical Advisory Committee (Committee) to study RUC alternatives to the gas tax and assess the potential for mileage-based revenue collection. Based on the recommendations of the Committee, the Agency must implement a pilot program to identify and evaluate issues related to potential implementation of an RUC program by January 1, 2017. The Agency must then prepare and submit a report of its findings to the California State Legislature no later than June 30, 2018. For more information, see the Agency's Road Charge Pilot Program website. (Reference California Vehicle Code 3090-3093)

The California Energy Commission (CEC) must adopt and implement a state-wide Fuel-Efficient Tire Program that includes a consumer information and education program and minimum tire efficiency standards. The CEC must consult with the California Integrated Waste Management Board on the program's adoption, implementation, and regular review. (Reference California Public Resources Code 25770-25773)