Project Background for Clean Cars 4 All

Program Goals

Clean Cars 4 All (CC4A) and the Enhanced Fleet Modernization Program (EFMP) were designed to provide reliable and accessible modes of transportation to disadvantaged communities, to deliver equitable consumer protections, and to target outreach in disadvantaged communities. Furthermore, both programs focus on the adoption of advanced technology vehicles which include battery electric vehicles (BEVs), conventional hybrid vehicles (hybrid), fuel cell vehicles (FCEVS), plug-in electric vehicles (PHEVS), and zero-emission motorcycles (ZEMs). Alternative mobility options are also available, and participants may choose to purchase an e-bike or receive a voucher for public transit. Combining alternative mobility options is also allowed. Additionally, buyers of PHEVs and BEVs are also eligible for home charger incentives or prepaid charge cards if home charger installation is not an option.

Since the program's inception in 2015, over $325 Million has been invested and over 20,000 projects have been funded with over 51 percent of funding benefitting disadvantaged communities. Implementing air districts have reported that these programs have been extremely popular and tend to be oversubscribed.

Both programs work in sync to provide income-qualified participants vouchers that assist in the buy down towards the lease or purchase of a new or used advanced technology vehicle. Participants are also provided consumer protections that can include but are not limited to leveraging financial counseling, access to consumer advocacy groups to provide financial counseling, and protections from being charged for this service. In addition to assistance in vehicle buy-downs, both programs support participants’ adoption of advanced technology vehicles through the funding of charge cards or Electric Vehicle Service Equipment (EVSE) such as at-home chargers, where applicable.

Guiding Legislation and Policy Drivers

The Enhanced Fleet Modernization Program (EFMP) was established with the passage of Assembly Bill (AB) 118 (Nuñez, Chapter 750, Statutes of 2007). AB 118 created the Air Quality Improvement Program (AQIP), which funds a variety of clean transportation programs including EFMP.

Clean Cars 4 All was officially codified with the passage of AB 630 (Cooper, Chapter 636, Statutes of 2017). This bill requires that CARB sets specific and measurable goals and focus the program where the greatest air quality impact can be identified.

Senate Bill (SB) 1382 (Gonzalez, Chapter 375, Statutes of 2022) was passed in 2022 and directs CARB to conduct an assessment that identifies underserved populations and barriers to participation and to propose strategies to overcome those barriers.

Consistent with Executive Order N-79-20 issued by Governor Newsom in January 2021, CC4A and a variety of other light-duty vehicle purchase incentive programs will continue to support priority populations and communities that are most in need through the process of alignment with the first efforts beginning with the joint solicitation CC4A and the Clean Vehicle Assistance Program (CVAP). This step towards alignment is supported by stakeholders who have cited that a long and lengthy application process made access to these programs challenging. Continued alignment as well as coordination with Access Clean California will continue to ensure that communities will have equitable and accessible forms of transportation.

Related Legislative Bills

SB 1382 (Gonzalez 2022), Air pollution: Clean Cars 4 All Program: Sales and Use Tax Law: zero emissions vehicle exemption
SB 1230 (Limón 2022), Zero-emission and near-zero-emission vehicle incentive programs: requirements
AB 630 (Cooper 2017), Vehicles: retirement and replacement
AB 1550 (Gomez 2016), Chapter 369, Statutes of 2016, Greenhouse Gases: investment plan: disadvantaged communities
SB 1275 (De León 2014), Chapter 530, Statutes of 2014: Vehicle retirement and replacement: Charge Ahead California Initiative
SB 535 (De León 2012), California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006: Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF)
AB 118 (Nuñez 2007), Chapter 750, Statutes of 2007: Alternative fuels and vehicle technologies: funding programs
AB 32 (Nuñez 2006), Chapter 488, Statutes of 2006: California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006

History of Funding

The following table illustrates the programs' funding allocations history through May 31, 2024.

District	Launch Date	Dollars Allocated (millions)	Dollars Spent (millions)
South Coast Air Quality Management District	July 2015	$135.5	$98
San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District	July 2015	$78.9	$70.7
Bay Area Air Quality Management District	September 2019	$66.4	$38.7
Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District	July 2020	$20.4	$11.4
San Diego Air Pollution Control District	March 2024	$18.4	$2
Totals		$319.6	$220.8

In addition to CC4A, both the South Coast AQMD and San Joaquin Valley APCD administer the Enhanced Fleet Modernization Program (EFMP) and receive yearly allocations of $1.4 million dollars through AB 118.

Program and Policy Changes

To concentrate benefits on those who need it the most, income eligibility is limited to participants with household incomes at or below 300 percent of the federal poverty level.

Also, as directed by the Legislature in the Budget Act of 2022, conventional hybrids are to be removed as an eligible vehicle type by November 2024.

Office of Administrative Law Approval

The Office of Administrative Law (OAL) approved CARB's proposed guidelines for Clean Cars 4 All and amendments to the EFMP Guidelines, effective June 7, 2019.

Program Reports

View EFMP Scrap-and-Replace and CC4A Summary Reports which provide summaries of program information by implementing air district, scrapped and replacement vehicle characteristics, and participants' income level and disadvantaged community characteristics.