California Air Resources Board

The Clean Off-Road Equipment Voucher Incentive Project (CORE) is intended to accelerate deployment of advanced technology in the off-road sector by providing a streamlined way for fleets to access funding that helps offset the incremental cost of such technology. CORE targets commercial-ready products that have not yet achieved a significant market foothold. By promoting the purchase of clean technology over internal combustion options, the project is expected to reduce emissions, particularly in areas that are most impacted; help build confidence in zero-emission technology in support of CARB strategies and subsequent regulatory efforts where possible; and provide other sector-wide benefits, such as technology transferability, reductions in advanced-technology component costs, and larger infrastructure investments.

CORE provides vouchers to California purchasers and lessees of zero-emission off-road equipment on a first-come, first-served basis, with increased incentives for equipment located in disadvantaged communities.

CARB approved CORE (originally named the Zero-Emission Off-Road Freight Voucher Incentive Project) in the Fiscal Year 2017-18 Funding Plan for Clean Transportation Incentives in December 2017 with a funding allocation of $40 million.  CORE has also been allocated an additional $4.6M from the FY 2018-19 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) appropriated pursuant to SB 856 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review, Chapter 30, 2018).  The program opened to new receive new voucher requests in February 2020 and closed in August 2020 after all available funds were requested and the program contingency list exceeded the initial funding allocation. 

Since that time, CORE has been allocated an additional $108.5 million from the FY 2021-22 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and $86.5 million from the Air Pollution Reduction Fund appropriated pursuant to SB 129 (Skinner, Chapter 69) and SB 170 (Skinner, Chapter 240).  This allocation includes $30 million of dedicated funds appropriated by the Legislature in SB 170 to provide incentives for professional landscaping services in California operated by small businesses or sole proprietors to purchase zero-emission small off-road equipment.  Reopening of the program is anticipated in Summer of 2022.  

CALSTART has been selected as the grant administrator for CORE. For more information on the CORE Program, please visit California CORE. 

Please be sure to check the meetings and events page, as well as subscribe to the email distribution list for the CORE program, to stay up-to-date on announcements and future meetings.