(CN) — As California considers implementing the first ban on gas-powered cars in the world, making hybrid and zero-emission vehicles available to low-income communities has become a top concern for state regulators.
Staff from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) gave a presentation Thursday detailing “environmental justice allowances” that would give credits to car manufacturers that sold discounted zero-emission vehicles to low-income buyers. But the proposed rule left the discount optional, not mandatory.
Board member Diane Takvorian took issue with passing an optional environmental justice incentive that, on her view, would be toothless.
“There is a strong argument for equity provisions needing to be required rather than voluntary,” Takvorian said.
Thursday’s meeting follows the proposed policy announced this past April, when some environmentalists expressed concern that the timeline — to reach 100% zero-emission new vehicle sales in the Golden State by 2035 — needs to be sped up.
Members of the public had 45 days to comment on the proposed mandate before Thursday’s meeting, with CARB staff confirming they will continue responding to public comments throughout the summer.
The proposed mandate would require, beginning with the 2026 model year, 35% of new cars, SUVs and small pickup trucks sold in California to be zero-emission vehicles. Annual increases of new sales of zero-emission cars would eventually reach 100% in 2035.
Currently, about 16% of new car sales in California are zero-emission vehicles.
To fully shepherd in a zero-emission car era in California, however, other measures and mandates must be instituted.
The proposed mandate does not outlaw the sale of used gas-powered cars, but CARB proposed environmental justice provisions to expand access for lower-income Californians via vehicle value credits.
“Staff anticipate broad usage of these provisions given the increasing stringency of this proposal and manufacturers’ need to continue to expand their markets,” reads the proposal.
To obtain environmental justice credits needed to comply with the state’s yearly zero-emission vehicle benchmarks, manufacturers could sell cars to community-based clean mobility programs at a minimum 25% discount off the manufacturer’s suggested retail price.
Such programs can include carsharing, ridesharing, ride on-demand services and other innovative transit services, according to the proposal.
Other incentives include a proposal for vehicle value credits to car dealers who participate in low-income financial assistance programs for used zero-emission vehicles, particularly those dealers which sell to consumers following the expiration of a lease agreement for new electric cars.
But similar incentive programs already in place in California are not being honored by some dealerships, at least according to one member of the public who commented during the hours-long public comment session.
The Center for Biological Diversity intern and law student shared she has tried to use a $5,000 grant toward purchasing an electric vehicle and has been turned away from dealers who don’t want to sell her an electric vehicle at a discount.
Board member Dr. Daniel Sperling said establishing the zero-emission vehicle mandate “is arguably the most important action CARB will ever take.”
He said he didn’t think the large cost reductions consumers would see in their transportation budget by going electric was “widely appreciated.”
Board member Takvorian said she was concerned about expediting the benchmarks for selling new zero-emission vehicles to pad the market with used electric cars more accessible to low-income consumers by 2035.
“The equity provisions we are talking about are not necessarily that everyone should be able to buy a new [zero-emission vehicle],” Takvorian said.
“We need to bump equity,” Takvorian added. “The state just released a report on reparations. This is one of those places where we can do it.”
Other board members and members of the public raised concerns that other aspects of the proposed zero-emission vehicle mandate could make electric vehicles out of reach for low-income Californians, including a requirement for beefed-up car batteries that must maintain between 75 to 80% of the 150-mile range for the life of the vehicle.
“I would love to see [zero-emission vehicles] in my community in every single home, but I don’t want to see the stringency of the regulations now result in a market that is out of reach for my neighbors,” board member Tania Pacheco-Werner said.
An additional 15-day public comment period was expected to be opened within a couple weeks. CARB is expected to vote on the final proposal in August.
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