CARB and Calif. public power utilities partner to offer consumers up to $1,500 off EVs

by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
November 18, 2020

A large number of California public power utilities are teaming up with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to offer the California Clean Fuel Reward (CCFR), a point-of-sale price reduction of up to $1,500 for the purchase or lease of any eligible new battery electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle from a participating automotive retailer.

Starting on Nov. 17, consumers will be able to purchase an eligible vehicle from an enrolled retailer and receive an instant reduction in the purchase price, CARB noted.

The CCFR will help support California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Executive Order phasing out gasoline-powered cars and requiring 100 percent sales of zero-emission cars in 2035.

Southern California Edison, a subsidiary of investor-owned Edison International, is administering the program on behalf of, and in collaboration with, all participating utilities. The CCFR is available to all California residents, regardless of utility provider and participation.

The participating public power utilities are:

• Anaheim Public Utilities
• Burbank Water and Power
• City of Banning Electric Utility
• City of Palo Alto
• City of Riverside
• Colton Electric Utility Department
• Glendale Water and Power
• Imperial Irrigation District
• Lodi Electric Utility
• Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
• Pasadena Water and Power
• Redding Electric Utility
• Roseville Electric Utility
• Silicon Valley Power
• Sacramento Municipal Utility District
• Turlock Irrigation District

Investor-owned utilities participating Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric.

When consumers make an EV purchase at an enrolled retailer in California, the retailer will include the reward in the transaction at the point of sale. The customer will not need to do any paperwork after the sale to receive the reward. “The CCFR is one of the most straightforward and inclusive rewards in the market, as it is available to everyone in California,” CARB said.

The lists of enrolled retailers and eligible vehicles will be continually updated as new retailers and EV models are added.

The CCFR can also be combined with existing post-sale federal, state and local incentives, such as the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, Clean Cars 4 All, and the Clean Vehicle Assistance Program, to make EVs even more affordable.

The CCFR is funded by electric utilities participating in CARB’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) program. The LCFS is a key part of a comprehensive set of programs in California to cut greenhouse gas emissions and other smog-forming and toxic air pollutants by improving vehicle technology, reducing fuel consumption, and increasing transportation mobility options.

Additional information about the CCFR is available here.