Comment Log Display

April 18, 2014

Clerk of the Board, Air Resources Board
1001 I Street
Sacramento, CA 95814


Dear Air Resources Board Members:

The California Electric Transportation Coalition (CalETC)
appreciates the opportunity to comment on the Proposed AB 118 Air
Quality Improvement Program Clean Vehicle Rebate Project Waiting
List Expansion. CalETC is a non-profit association with a board of
directors that includes: Los Angeles Department of Water and Power,
Pacific Gas & Electric, Sacramento Municipal Utility District, San
Diego Gas & Electric and Southern California Edison. CalETC also
leads a broad coalition of industry, non-governmental organizations
and local government representatives working collaboratively in
support of the State’s clean vehicle incentive programs. 

California has established aggressive goals for market adoption of
zero-emission vehicles and very clean trucks, buses, and equipment.
Vehicle incentives, monetary and non-monetary, will play a
significant role in reaching that goal.  The Clean Vehicle Rebate
Program (CVRP) and the Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus
Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP) are the most successful incentive
programs in California, they are efficient, well-structured, and
provide a direct, tangible benefit to consumers. Consumer
acceptance and purchase of zero-emission vehicles is the biggest
barrier to market progress, there is no more effective way to
create market pull than for the state Air Resources Board to
provide a consumer incentive.  

With CVRP rebate demand having surpassed the available FY13-14
funding in April 2014, We SUPPORT the staff’s plan to increase the
rebate reservation list amount to $30MM from its current amount of
$5MM.  We also SUPPORT the staff recommendation to rebate consumers
who are on the rebate reservation list at the level currently in
place. We believe this will mitigate some of the uncertainty for
consumers and auto dealers about whether and how much of an
incentive will be available. The $30MM in funding for the remainder
of FY13-14 is critical to the continued success of the program. 

CalETC is committed to continued engagement with stakeholders, the
California Air Resources Board and state agencies supporting the
growth and success of the ZEV market and the electrification of the
transportation sector in California. We appreciate the opportunity
to comment in SUPPORT of staff’s CVRP Rebate Reservation List
recommendation before the Board. 
					
					Sincerely,
						 
					Eileen Wenger Tutt
					Executive Director