California drivers, starting next October 1 you will go back to being normal drivers because California is going to ban electric vehicles from using the fast lanes (the HOV lanes for cars with multiple occupants).
California has ended the Clean Air Vehicle (CAV) program, which had been in place since 1999 and allowed zero-emission drivers to use those high-occupancy lanes even if they were alone in the car, but not anymore. The federal government has decided not to renew the program and of course, more than half a million zero-emission drivers are going to feel it.
And it won’t just affect traffic even if it may seem so, the toll discounts tied to those stickers will also disappear. There are nerves and tension among drivers, associations and brands that have been promoting electric mobility for years. Is this really a step backward? We’ll tell you.
What was the CAV program?
The CAV program was a crucial incentive for electric or hydrogen vehicle drivers, and it worked well. It was one of the big incentives in the area to encourage people to buy electric vehicles.
Thanks to CAV, thousands of Californians in the most complex areas, like the Bay Area or Los Angeles, could save half an hour a day or more on their commute, it was a cheap, direct policy designed entirely for drivers… and there was no need for million-dollar subsidies for them! But now it seems that buying an EV versus a polluting vehicle doesn’t have that many advantages anymore.
“Lose-lose situation”
That’s how the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) itself described it, lamenting the federal government’s decision to end this program. The DMV believes traffic will get worse and that this measure comes just when the state is more involved than ever in the transition to zero emissions!!
One last chance
There is still one last chance and that is, although the program ends, users who don’t have the sticker can apply for it before the end of the month, but you can only benefit from it this September because all stickers expire on September 30, 2025. A little, but it’s something.
Why is it ending?
The reason is purely legal, California needs federal government approval to allow single-occupant cars to use HOV lanes. It sounds absurd but that authorization has not been renewed even though state authorities expected to keep it until 2027. The government decided no more.
What do the critics say?
From the San Diego Electric Vehicle Association they argue this was a cheap, effective and clean incentive, and that these kinds of policies are what really encourage people to ditch gasoline cars. Without them, many families will think twice before switching to electric. Especially if they live in areas with horrible traffic…
Will this slow down EV purchases?
What is clear for now is that from now on there aren’t many advantages between driving an electric vs. a gasoline car, both will have to use the same lane (unless the car is full).
As for whether this will slow down EV purchases, we think it’s still too early to answer that question, maybe yes, maybe no. Would people buy an electric only for this advantage? Probably.
The end of the CAV program marks a before and after in electric mobility in California. There are no more advantages for EVs… will California still be a reference for electric mobility without this program?