EV Incentives

[ChargeIt!]

White sticker owners don't have to get a FasTrack device first.
Yellow sticker owners in the SF Bay Area do.

And (from their website) "Note: The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has already issued all 85,000 hybrid stickers. If you acquired a hybrid vehicle with Clean Air Vehicle stickers attached, and you are a resident of the Bay Area, you must open a FasTrak® account in your name in order to drive solo in a High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) or carpool lane."

Does that mean that non-BayAreaResidents (e.g. a Sacramentan with existing yellow sticker) can NOT use the HOV lanes on the bridge (but obviously ok elsewhere ?! in BayArea), since they are not eligible to apply for FastTrak ?

And (from their website) "While solo hybrid drivers can take advantage of designated carpool-only lanes on those bridges that have them – the Bay Bridge, San Mateo-Hayward Bridge, Carquinez Bridge, and Dumbarton Bridge passage is not free, as it is for carpoolers and drivers of alternative fuel vehicles." (Meaning EVs?)

So EVs don't pay toll ??

 

[TEG]

White sticker (EVs) don't have to pay bridge toll ? (Or what am I misunderstanding? [whishful thinking?])

I rarely use the bridges so I don't know for sure, but apparently they may.
Any Tesla owners tried it?

Honda Civic GX & HOV Lane Access - CarSpace Automotive Forums

...the yellows (hybrids) get you access to the HOV lanes ... the silvers (alt fuels) get you HOV access AND free bridges 24/7. for me, that's $6/day savings (going up to $8/day on Jan 1 when they raise tolls to $4 each.) ...

...back to the free bridges debate -- i have spoken to Joni at Mel Rapton in Sacramento several times regarding this (she is the guru up here) and she has repeatably said that the GX qualifies for free bay area bridges during carpool hours only. she is currently trying to find the printout that Honda has provided her.

meanwhile, on the PG&E website, they list a number of incentives for NGVs, with free bridges being one of them. until i get the letter from honda, i printed this sheet out from PG&E and keep it in my glove box.

i have spoken to Fastrak and the DMV so many times that my head hurts thinking about it, and after all the talking, i've distilled three things:
1) nobody talks to eachother in these organizations

2) there is no bridge toll for the GX during carpool hours (you must have the stickers)
3) there is no 'special' transponder or need to have a hyrid transponder. you may choose to have Fastrak for times in which you are outside of carpool hours, but having a hybrid version is mute as you'll never be using the flyover outside of carpool hours...

 

[vfx]

What about toll highways? I drove down S and saw some of the California Freeway and Expressway System -State Routes 73, 133, 241 and 261 toll roads with signs for Fasttrack.

Since these freeways are just there to make money would they fight the sticker benefits?.
Traffic was light so I never tried it but I wondered if my white sticker would give me free access.

And, as noted before, The yellow stickers benefits may permanently expire while the white ones may remain.

 

[ChargeIt!]

Also see here (more clearly spelled out): FreeEVCommute? in the "CARPOOL" section.

I am still investigating ... will make some calls tomorrow ... and report back in about 36 hours.

 

[TEG]

Also see here (more clearly spelled out): FreeEVCommute? in the "CARPOOL" section.

I am still investigating ... will make some calls tomorrow ... and report back in about 36 hours.

Thanks.

From that link:

Antioch, Benicia-Martinez, Carquinez and San Francisco-Oakland Bay bridges

• Monday through Friday between 5 a.m.-10 a.m. and 3 p.m.-7 p.m.

Richmond-San Rafael Bridge

• Monday through Friday between 5 a.m.-10 a.m. and 3 p.m.-6 p.m.

Dumbarton and San Mateo-Hayward Bridges

• Monday through Friday between 5 a.m.-10 a.m. and 3 p.m.-6 p.m.

...Inherently-low-emission vehicles (ILEV) with DMV-issued decals, such as electric cars, may also cross toll-free in designated lane(s) consistent with the above referenced hours of operation. Note: This does not apply to qualified single-occupancy hybrid vehicles permitted to use dedicated High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV)/carpool lanes in the Bay Area with the passage of Assembly Bill 2628 (AB 2628) on August 10, 2005...

 

[vfx]

Thanks CI,

It looks like no matter what we dig up we will have a battle. Cops pulls us over and we either tell them they are wrong, show them they are wrong by carrying a copy of the wording, or have similar discussions with a Judge.

Doubtful any officer would even know if the paperwork shown was authentic.

 

[ChargeIt!]

Ok, I called back the sergeant at BATA. He passed me up to the lieutenant.

There is some confusion of white (she called them silver) versus yellow stickers. We had a longish discussion. Basically the rules seem clear as written, but not everyone (in various agencies & departments) is aware of what they are, and confusion about the yellow (toll required unless three people) versus white (toll-free) sticker exists. And remember, all of these rules apply ONLY during the specific bridge’s designated commute hours as written at FreeEVCommute

Some bridges have only FasTrak (no attendant) on the HOV lane(s) (interchangeable terms: carpool lane, diamond lane). But they also have cameras. You can pass thru on these lanes without a FasTrak device, **BUT** you may get a] your picture taken (front & back; they can check for the required 3 people per vehicle in the carpool lane during commute hours); b] a phone call; c] a letter in the mail; or d] if CHP is not too busy, get stopped and be subject to a fine up to $451 for carpool lane violation.

If you get stopped, you might talk your way out of it. And she acknowledged the CHP is typically more knowledgeable than an attendant at the toll booth, so you have a good chance.

So … what EV owner wants to risk it and report back ? You will be doing so at your own risk (sounds like a fun project though :smile. Remember to be 100% legal (front and rear license plate, legally issued and properly mounted white stickers, commute hours only), and make sure to use the HOV lane, and pass thru even without a FasTrak device. Have a hardcopy of the above website rules with you. Don’t do it on a day you’re in a hurry ( I would plan for a 20 minute CHP stop ). :biggrin:

 

[dpeilow]

Ontario unveils 'green' licence plate for eco-friendly vehicles - thestar.com

Ontario is introducing a "green" licence plate next year for "environmentally friendly vehicles."

But don't expect to see the plates everywhere just yet because they're for plug-in hybrids and battery-only powered cars, and those aren't really on the road – save perhaps for the rare deep-pocketed driver who can shell out $100,000 for a Tesla Motors-made electric car.


When the cars do hit the road, drivers who get the plates will be allowed to travel in high occupancy vehicle lanes until 2015 – even if there's only one person inside.

There'll also be access to recharging facilities at GO Transit and other provincially operated lots, and parking spots will be set aside at places like Wal-Mart shopping centres and the University of Toronto.

 

[vfx]

Wonder if Tesla can take advantage of this?
http://www.triplepundit.com/2010/05/electric-vehicles-could-get-a-break-at-the-port-of-los-angeles/

Under its newly proposed “ZERO Emission Vehicle Tariff Measure,” the Port would lower tariffs on EVs and other zero-emissions vehicles by 15 percent.

 

[vfx]

California EV drivers rejoice!

Some 50,000 Prius' will now be back in the morass.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has just signed AB1500.

CA EVs now have carpool access until 2015.
Better is that hybrid access to diamond lane will sunset as of 1/1/2011!

So soon HOV lanes will only have cars with multiple people, Natural gas and electric vehicles. no hybrids. Plug-in hybrids may be added later.

 

[TEG]

[URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/nov05election/detail?blogid=14&entry_id=67359"]Thinking of buying an alternative fuel car? You can use the carpool lane 'til 2015[/URL]

We should note that the state -- which issued 85,000 of the decals allowing hybrids to use the HOV lanes -- no longer hands out those stickers for hybrids, and they will expire on July 1, 2011.

​

 

[TEG]

Better is that hybrid access to diamond lane will sunset as of 1/1/2011!

It sounds like the bill extended that to July 1st, 2011... So they get 6 more months...

 

[TEG]

What happens with GM Volt? Is it a hybrid or electric in terms of carpool access?

(I can see it now - you are let in the carpool lane, but you get pulled over as soon as your gasoline engine starts up.)

 

[Doug_G]

Ontario

Full information on the Ontario EV incentives ($8500 for Tesla) and green plates is available here:

http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/vehicle/electric/electric-vehicles.shtml

 

[doug]

I'm sure they'll be a lobbying effort to make sure plug-ins like the Volt (and the Karma if that ever gets delivered) also get HOV access, though it is a bit of a cheat.

I think it would make sense to have a provision so that EVs incapable of freeway speeds, like the impotent Smart ED, don't get HOV access.

 

[vfx]

What happens with GM Volt? Is it a hybrid or electric in terms of carpool access?

As I said, plug in hybrids rules are in the works.

 

[TEG]

As I said, plug in hybrids rules are in the works.

Yes, and GM has (at times) seemed to try to talk about the Volt as if it is a true EV. Like since it doesn't mechanically connect the gas engine to the driven wheels it is really just an EV (that happens to be towing a generator around.) Personally I don't buy the argument at all, but I have seen them try to use it to their benefit.

 

[vfx]

I don't buy the argument at all, but I have seen them try to use it to their benefit.

DON"T get me started...

 

[TEG]

Hybrid owners want to keep their carpool stickers

 

[samcarney]

I just got off of a website
http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/laws/law/US/351.
It states that a 50% tax credit is available for the installation of a home EV charge station. Am I reading this wrong or can I get a 50% credit for buying and installing a Tesla HPC?