California’s electric vehicle drivers (EV) are set to lose their ability to use carpool lanes solo, as a federal program granting the privilege has not been renewed, potentially impacting commuters across the state.
The Clean Air Vehicle program, which started in 2001, allowed battery-powered and plug-in hybrid vehicles to access high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes with only one occupant. More than 1.2 million decals were issued by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) under the Clean Air Vehicle (CAV) program, with about 512,000 still valid in August.
The program, last authorized under a 2015 federal transportation law, ends on Sept. 30 due to a sunset clause, which would have required Congress to extend it in order to continue.
The California DMV stopped accepting new decal applications on Aug. 29. After the deadline, solo EV drivers in HOV lanes risk fines up to $490. Discounts on tolls, such as those for FasTrak Clean Air Vehicle tags, will also cease unless vehicles meet standard occupancy rules, which typically require two or more passengers.
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office criticized the lapse, attributing it to congressional inaction and Republican-led federal policies that have challenged California’s environmental goals.
“This rollback will worsen traffic and air quality,” he said in a statement, noting the struggle with pollution in California—home to five of the nation’s 10 smoggiest cities, including Los Angeles, Visalia, Bakersfield, Fresno, and San Diego—according to a report by the American Lung Association released in August.
The state leads the nation in EV adoption, with electric models making up 25 percent of new car sales in 2024, though they are driven partly by regulations requiring automakers to meet EV sales targets in order to sell gasoline-powered vehicles. California also now has more than 50 percent more EV chargers than gas pumps, reflecting its commitment to electrification.
A state law signed in 2024 sought to extend the CAB program until January 2027. However, federal approval was required, but not granted.
Bipartisan support for EV incentives has declined amid shifting federal priorities that have moved away from programs like California’s Clean Air Vehicle initiative, particularly under the Trump administration’s rollback of environmental policies.
On Jan. 20, his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed the “Unleashing American Energy” executive order, which canceled the state’s EV mandate and eliminated federal incentives for electric vehicles, including the $7,500 tax credit.
The order further directed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to revoke waivers granted to California and other states that restricted sales of gas-powered cars.
Since then, Trump has approved three Congressional Review Act resolutions to halt several of California’s emissions regulations, which relied on those EPA waivers, including one overturning the state’s prohibition on new gas-powered vehicle sales after 2035.
