California $44M voucher program to speed deployment of zero-emission freight equipment

Modeled after CARB’s Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP), CORE provides eligible businesses with point-of-sale discounts of up to $500,000.

Additional funding is available for buyers and lessees who deploy clean technology in disadvantaged communities overburdened by pollution. CORE also provides financial support for infrastructure, such as chargers or hydrogen fueling. 

“For buyers, using CORE’s incentives means that equipment with no pollution will cost about the same as the polluting alternatives,” said Bill Van Amburg, executive vice president of CALSTART, CORE’s project administrator, in the release. 

Helping users to buy clean equipment will boost earlier demand to increase volumes and reduce costs, as well as spur investment and innovation by manufacturers and keep California’s clean economy growing, Van Amburg said.

In California, traditional fossil fuel-powered off-road equipment emits over five million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent every year — roughly the same amount of emissions produced by one million passenger vehicles driven for a full year. 

While goods movement hubs like ports, airports, distribution centers and rail yards are economic drivers, they have heavy equipment with long operating lives that are large emitters of pollution. 

“This project will reduce air pollution from goods movement equipment and benefit our residents, especially those who live and work near San Diego’s ports,” said Robert Kard, Air Pollution Control Officer of the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District. 

Starting Feb. 3, prospective buyers and lessees — such as freight operators, cargo airlines, wholesalers and retailers with distribution centers — will be able to shop from an online catalog of eligible off-road equipment at www.CaliforniaCORE.org. 

Manufacturers and dealers handle the paperwork, and CORE reimburses the vendors once equipment is delivered to customers.