YOU ARE HERE: LAT HomeCollectionsCalifornia Assembly A bill to extend carpool-lane access for electric cars and other zero-emission vehicles passed the California Assembly by a wide margin Monday.The legislation, AB 266 written by Robert Blumenfield (D-Woodland Hills), also gives such vehicles access to carpool lanes converted to toll roads. The bill passed on a 49-22 vote and now moves on to the state Senate.Under Blumenfield’s legislation, cars with white clean-air vehicle stickers — such as electric, hydrogen fuel cell or compressed natural-gas vehicles — would get carpool-lane access to 2020.  If the bill doesn’t pass, the program phases out in 2015.Cars with green stickers — plug-in hybrids — would get carpool lane use until 2018.  While there is no limit on the amount of white stickers, green stickers are capped at 40,000.  “We won’t make a dent in our clean air and climate goals without getting more of these cars on the road,” said Blumenfield.  “With more clean cars than ever coming off the production line, this is an exciting time in the clean-car industry. 

We must support it and the consumers making greener choices by keeping this program up and running.”He said that 34,051 stickers have been issued under the Clean Air Vehicle Sticker program as of March: 10,831 green and 23,220 white.  That represents just a fraction of the roughly 28 million vehicles on California roads.Here the list of vehicles eligible for the stickers. ALSO:Dramatic crash test video of small SUVs New transmissions drive road to fuel economy designer styles tiny cars Follow me on Twitter (@LATimesJerry), Facebook and Google+. on the I-110 and I-10 with a FasTrak® transponder now have the choice to pay a toll to use the ExpressLanes. CARPOOLS AND VANPOOLS can use the ExpressLanes with a FasTrak® transponder. Watch the Carpool Loyalty Program video. The I-110 and I-10 Metro ExpressLanes regulations will be enforced by the California Highway Patrol using visual and electronic means. Watch the Rules of the Road video. Prior to starting your trip, you will indicate the number of occupants in your vehicle by

moving the switch on the transponder to the appropriate setting (1, 2, 3+). Note: 2-person carpools are charged a toll on the I-10 ExpressLanes Mon-Fri 5-9am and 4-7pm. The I-110 and I-10 Metro ExpressLanes will operate 24/7 and will be separated from the general purpose lanes by double solid white lines. The fine for crossing the double solid white lines is a minimum of $491. The first sign will be a FASTRAK ONLY ExpressLanes sign approximately 1/2 mile away from the entrance to signify the distance remaining to enter the ExpressLanes. Entry to and exit from the ExpressLanes will be indicated by a single dashed white line. Tolls on the ExpressLanes are based on the current congestion level and the length of your trip. Approximately 1/4 mile away from the entrance to the ExpressLanes, the second overhead electronic sign displays two toll amounts: 1) The current toll from this entrance to the next major exit; 2) the current toll from this entrance to the end of the ExpressLanes.

The third sign indicates the entry point to the ExpressLanes and informs drivers that FasTrak is required to use the ExpressLanes. The fourth sign marks the start of the ExpressLanes toll segment and is the final reminder to the driver that FasTrak is required beyond this point.spike air cleaner honda shadow Once you are beyond the ExpressLanes entry/exit point, where the dashed white line ends and the double solid white lines begin again, an overhead antenna will read the FasTrak transponder, and for solo drivers who choose to use the ExpressLanes, the correct toll amount will be automatically deducted from your FasTrak account based upon the toll amounts displayed to you on the second sign. hamilton beach true air compact pet air purifier reviewsThose vehicles that are carpooling and meet the minimum occupancy requirements will not have a toll deducted from their account.electrolux guardian air purifier reviews

Motorcycles do not need a FasTrak transponder to use the ExpressLanes. The I-110 and I-10 Metro ExpressLanes regulations will be enforced by the California Highway Patrol using visual and electronic means.Vehicles displaying a DMV issued white or green Clean Air Vehicle decal can use the ExpressLanes toll-free with a switchable FasTrak set to 3 (3+ person carpool). Tolls on the ExpressLanes will be calculated using Congestion Pricing. Congestion pricing provides an opportunity to sell some of the additional capacity on the ExpressLanes to those willing to pay a toll and maximizes efficiency of the entire freeway. It is designed to keep traffic in the ExpressLanes flowing smoothly, resulting in a more reliable travel time. Tolls on the ExpressLanes are based on real-time traffic conditions and vary according to the level of congestion in the ExpressLanes. The toll is higher when there is more traffic in the ExpressLanes, and lower when traffic is lighter.

Watch the Congestion Pricing video.3 years ago byWhich HOV Sticker will the BMW i3 Get in California? As trivial as this question might sound, it might have serious consequences for future buyers of the i3. Wait, what I am talking about? As you might have heard already, the range-extended version of the BMW i3, which is slated to arrive in the US sometime in April, is apparently at risk of not qualifying for all the incentives in California, which is the largest market for plug-in vehicles as of this writing. *Editor’s Note: This post originally appeared on George’s blog.  We suggest that you check it out by clicking here. What incentives are those exactly? Well, for one thing, there are the carpool lane stickers, which permit single-occupant vehicles to use HOV lanes. Some people have said that it was “tantamount to having a helicopter for commuters”. OK, not quite, but it’s still an incredible perk. Then there is the clean vehicle rebate, which allows owners and lessees to apply for a rebate check, if they have either purchased or leased the new vehicle, and commit to keeping it at least 36 months.

That all looks pretty straightforward, wouldn’t you agree? I guarantee you that it won’t be when we delve into the specifics. The devil is in the details. Take the carpool lane stickers. They come in several varieties in California: The yellow stickers were introduced in 2004 by Assembly Bill 2628, which allowed hybrid vehicles, such as the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight, to access HOV lanes. It was limited to 85,000 cars, and the stickers were issued on a first-come first-served basis. This program was extended several times, and the original more limited allocation of stickers has been more than doubled. Although some owners kept them as a souvenir on their cars, the incentive came to an end on June 30, 2011. The white stickers were established though Assembly Bill 71 in 1999. Eligible vehicles must meet strict emission standards set forth by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). The following categories would qualify: pure battery electric vehicles (BEV), dedicated compressed natural gas (CNG) or hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles (FCV).

There is no limit on the number of stickers that can be issued. As of September 1, 2013, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) had issued 32,764 white stickers; the recent run rate has been about 1,500 decals per month. This program was set to expire on January 1, 2015, but has recently been extended until 2019 via Assembly Bill 266. And finally, there is the green sticker program, which came into life on January 1, 2012. The stickers will be issued to the first 40,000 applicants, who purchase or lease cars meeting California’s Enhanced Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emission Vehicle (Enhanced AT PZEV) or Transitional Zero-Emission Vehicle (TZEV) requirements. Examples of qualifying vehicles include Ford C-Max Energi, Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid and Chevrolet Volt. As of November 8, 2013, 24,452 green stickers have been issued; the recent run rate has been about 1,000 decals per month. At this pace, the sticker allocation could be exhausted in approximately 14 months. If the program is not extended, the green stickers will expire in 2019, just like the white decals mentioned above.

It’s worth noting that the HOV decal program is administered by the California DMV following guidelines set forth by the Air Resources Board, which maintains a comprehensive list of all eligible vehicles. This list does not mention or include the BMW i3 yet. That’s understandable, since the first i3 is not supposed to be sold in California until May 2014. While it would seem only natural that the pure electric version will qualify for the white stickers, some thought that the range-extended version would get them too. What is the big deal then, aren’t the stickers interchangeable? At first blush, it would appear so. The green stickers, which the BMW i3 REx trim might end up getting, are limited in number. If BMW and the Air Resources Board cannot come to an agreement on this issue, it could start affecting i3 buyers as soon as late 2014 or early 2015. However, this problem would not be unique to the range-extended variant of the i3; it would affect other vehicles, such as Chevy Volt, Plug In Prius or Ford Fusion Energi, as well.

Additionally, although both sticker types are slated to expire on January 1, 2019, some believe that the white decals had a better shot at getting an extension. All that said, this should be a non-issue for current BMW i3 buyers, so long as the i3 will qualify for some kind of HOV decal. It doesn’t really matter. Although some might prefer one over the other, the practical difference is likely zero as of this writing. Should the green stickers run out in about a year, and an additional allocation is not approved, then early i3s with REx could have a better resale value. Much like a Prius with the yellow sticker would command a premium in the years past. That leaves us with the clean vehicle rebate project. This project is a voluntary incentive program introduced in by Assembly Bill 118 in 2007. The program is administered by the Air Resources Board (CARB) to fund clean vehicle and equipment projects. It is managed by the California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE) in San Diego, and has expanded its funding considerably over the past few years to keep up with the increased volume of new clean-fuel vehicle registrations.

There are two types of cars, which qualify under the program: zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). Light-duty zero emission cars and trucks are eligible for up to a $2,500 incentive, while motorcycles and neighborhood vehicles are eligible for up to $900. PHEVs are eligible for up to a $1,500 incentive. To qualify, PHEVs must: While the pure electric version of the i3 would clearly qualify for the $2,500 incentive as a light-duty ZEV, the range-extended version of the i3 should get $1,500. The California Air Resources Board has recently established a new category: the range-extended battery electric vehicle (BEVx). It’s a new regulatory category initially approved as a zero-emission vehicle type in the clean vehicle rebate project in June 2012. In the current fiscal year, the BEVx continues to be an approved eligible vehicle category. How does a plugin vehicle get classified as a BEVx? According to the 2012 amendments to zero vehicle program regulations, it comes down to four criteria:

*CARB then decided to once again amend the criteria with this key alteration: “The minimum range qualification has been corrected from 80 miles range to 75 miles range for range extended battery electric vehicles (BEVx) to match the minimum requirements for BEVxs in 2012 through 2017.” This means that the new BMW i3 with range extender should qualify for the $2,500 incentive, just like a pure battery electric vehicle would. It does not automatically imply that the i3 REx will qualify for the white HOV stickers, although it would seem logical that it should. It’s also worth noting that the HOV decal and the CVRP are two separate programs, even though the CARB establishes guidelines for both. I have recently contacted the California Center for Sustainable Energy and the Air Resources Board, and I’m led to believe that the i3 with REx will qualify for $2,500 CVRP and green HOV decals.  This belief aligns with BMW’s statement (courtesy of BMW Blog) on the matter:

“The i3 with Range Extender qualifies for the green sticker, which is limited in numbers and will run out in the eventual future (possibly late in 2014). This is technically to be expected since the car is equipped with an internal combustion engine which potentially emits fuel fumes, and thus makes it harder to qualify for the white sticker which typically can be obtained by full battery-electric vehicles (BEV) and Hydrogen vehicles. The white sticker is not limited in terms of numbers. There is a continued, constructive relationship between BMW and CARB executives, and there has been no reversal of position. It also bears mention that the i3 with Range Extender qualifies for the full CA incentive amount of $2,500.” There is apparently still a chance that the i3 REx might get white stickers as well. Finally, there has been some talk that the range-extended i3 might not qualify for the BEVx classification in its first year, but perhaps it would be best to table this type of speculation for a future post.