Agenda & Notes: August 7, 2023 Clean Mobility Projects & Incentives Workgroup Meeting

Agenda

  1. Introductions 
  2. Background 
  3. Discuss Centering Equity - Draft Guiding Principles 
  4. Review Proposed Projects 
  5. Who is Missing?  
  6. Next Steps 

Attendees

Aaron Dyer, SCE; Marissa Williams, CARB; Kenton Stanhope, CNCDA; Linda White, BMW; Serena Palmer, BWG; Robyn Marquis, CALSTART; Steve Douglas, Alliance; Glenn Choe, Toyota; Jeremy Hunt, NESCAUM; Sam Gregor, CARB; Josh Boone, Veloz; Kristin Gomez, Hyundai; Liliana Morales, Mobility Development; Gia Vacin, GOBiz; Orville Thomas, CALSTART; Graciela Garcia, CARB; Lonnie Mason, First Generation of Environmental Health and Economic Development; Amanda Mattes, CalEPA; Ruben Aronin, BWG; Tom Knox, ValleyCan; Lisa Chiladakis, CARB; Natalie Reavey, CARB

Background 

During the first Clean Mobility Projects & Incentives Workgroup meeting, CARB staff talked about how the ZEV Equity Task Force was formed in response to the Advanced Clean Cars II Resolution 22-12 and reminded everyone about the Task Force's main goal, which is to “expand low-income and disadvantaged communities’ access to ZEVs and zero-emission mobility.”  They also discussed the Guiding Principles and reminded the workgroup to center equity in all we do. You can learn more about this on the Zero-emission Vehicle Task Force website."

Review Proposed Projects 

Review of Projects that were discussed at the kick-off:  

Project Idea: Consolidate the statewide vehicle needs for community mobility programs on an annual basis and leverage off-lease vehicles.  

This project would think about how to consolidate the vehicle needs for different smaller-scale, community mobility programs. The vehicle types needed would be determined by the community projects on an annual basis. There would be a single entity that would either buy or lease all the vehicles or coordinate the purchase of the vehicles. This could help smaller mobility programs access cheaper vehicles through efficiency of scale and discounts and could help less-resourced entities (e.g., CBOs) access vehicles. Leasing the vehicles might be more cost-effective for lower-use services and could help maximize the use of the vehicles. This project would think through the idea of selling off-lease vehicles for use in community projects. But before this can move forward, there are some inherent challenges with carshare/rideshare (particularly the longevity and financial sustainability of services) that need to be addressed.   

Next Steps: CARB staff will reach out to existing mobility services to understand what exists today and what their future vehicle needs might be and report back to the Clean Mobility Projects and Incentives workgroup to help the group understand how existing programs could help facilitate this project. Participants of the Clean Mobility Projects and Incentives workgroup would begin to think through what the problems/gaps are and how to facilitate meeting those gaps. Participants will also explore ways to make mobility services more financially sustainable and expand and scale existing projects.  

Project Idea: Create a coalition to develop a ridesharing pilot program  

This project would begin to think through what it would look like to create a practical pilot through a ride-hailing or ridesharing project in a community. This type of pilot could help people who don’t drive get access to zero-emission vehicles and expand their mobility options. Participants would need to define what ridesharing versus ride-hailing is. Ride-hailing (as opposed to ridesharing) may be more necessary in rural areas where public transit isn’t as frequent or where, because of a lack of density, shared rides are less feasible.  

Next Steps: The Clean Mobility Projects and Incentives workgroup will think through what it would look like to create a pilot project in a specific community. In order to proceed with this project, more information is needed, including champions and participation from a transportation network company (TNC).   

Project Idea: Integrate vehicle incentives and financing programs with cars ready to purchase  
This project would involve looking at ways to streamline the purchase process for low-income consumers by working with dealerships to have ready-made packages of cars/financing for qualifying individuals so they would just come sign the paperwork.  

Next Steps: Get interested parties together to continue the conversation and determine if there is a way to do a pilot program through either the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-24 Clean Transportation Incentives Funding Plan Development Process or the Low Carbon Fuel Standard.  

Project Ideas: Address problems with federal tax refundability so that low-income consumers can benefit from the federal tax credit and streamline incentive and rebate requirements.  

Next Steps: Conversations on these ideas will occur through the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-24 Clean Transportation Incentives Funding Plan Development Process. The Funding Plan serves as the blueprint for expending the Clean Transportation Incentives funds appropriated to CARB in the State budget.  

Discussion

Goal is to discuss how to prioritize projects and what information is needed to move forward. The group needs to think about what can be done in the near term. The group talked about leasing cars and how it affects people who get tax credits. There was a discussion about how leasing vehicles may not be good for priority populations. Some were looking at this for Clean Mobility Option programs and not individual leases. There is a desire to get cars into communities at lower prices and make it more efficient for them to get the incentives. It would be great if when cars come off lease, they might sell them to people in the community. 

Next Steps

  • CARB will send an email about priorities and next steps.
  • The next meeting is Thursday, September 7, 2023

 

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