(a)
Any moneys utilized pursuant to this chapter from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, created pursuant to Section 16428.8 of the Government Code, shall be consistent with the appropriations processes and criteria established by the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund Investment Plan and Communities Revitalization Act (Chapter 4.1 (commencing with Section 39710) of Part 2).
(b)
The Charge Ahead California Initiative is hereby established and shall be administered by the state board. The goals of this initiative are to place in service at least 1,000,000 zero-emission and near-zero-emission vehicles by January 1, 2023, to establish a self-sustaining California market for zero-emission and near-zero-emission
vehicles in which zero-emission and near-zero-emission vehicles are a viable mainstream option for individual vehicle purchasers, businesses, and public fleets, to increase access for disadvantaged, low-income, and moderate-income communities and consumers to zero-emission and near-zero-emission vehicles, and to increase the placement of those vehicles in those communities and with those consumers to enhance the air quality, lower greenhouse gases, and promote overall benefits for those communities and consumers.
(c)
The state board, in consultation with the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, districts, and the public, shall do all of the following:
(1)
(A)
Include, commencing with the funding plan for the 2016–17 fiscal year
of the Air Quality Improvement Program (Article 3 (commencing with Section 44274) of Chapter 8.9), a funding plan that includes the immediate fiscal year and a forecast of estimated funding needs for the subsequent two fiscal years commensurate with meeting the goals of this chapter. Funding needs may be described as a range that identifies the projected high and low funding levels needed for the two-year forecast period to contribute to technology advancement, market readiness, and consumer acceptance of zero- and near-zero-emission vehicle technologies. The funding plan shall include a market and technology assessment for each funded zero- and near-zero-emission vehicle technology to inform the appropriate funding level, incentive type, and incentive amount. The forecast shall include an assessment of when a self-sustaining market is expected and how existing incentives may be modified to recognize expected
changes in future market conditions.
(B)
Projects included in the forecast may include, but are not limited to, any of the following:
(i)
The Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, established pursuant to Section 44274.
(ii)
Light-duty zero-emission and near-zero-emission vehicle deployment projects eligible under the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program, established pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 44272) of Chapter 8.9.
(iii)
Programs adopted pursuant to paragraph (4).
(2)
Update the plan required pursuant to paragraph (1) at least every three years through January 1,
2023.
(3)
No later than June 30, 2015, adopt revisions to the criteria and other requirements for the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, established pursuant to Section 44274, to ensure the following:
(A)
Rebate levels can be phased down in increments based on cumulative sales levels as determined by the state board.
(B)
Eligibility is limited based on income.
(C)
Consideration of the conversion to prequalification and point-of-sale rebates or other methods to increase participation rates.
(4)
(A)
Establish programs that further increase access to and direct benefits for
disadvantaged, low-income, and moderate-income communities and consumers from electric transportation, including, but not limited to, any of the following:
(i)
Financing mechanisms, including, but not limited to, a loan or loan-loss reserve credit enhancement program to increase consumer access to zero-emission and near-zero-emission vehicle financing and leasing options that can help lower expenditures on transportation and prequalification or point-of-sale rebates or other methods to increase participation rates among low- and moderate-income consumers.
(ii)
Car sharing programs that serve disadvantaged communities and utilize zero-emission and near-zero-emission vehicles.
(iii)
Deployment of charging infrastructure in
multiunit dwellings in disadvantaged communities to remove barriers to zero-emission and near-zero-emission vehicle adoption by those who do not live in detached homes. This clause does not preclude the Public Utilities Commission from acting within the scope of its jurisdiction.
(iv)
Additional incentives for zero-emission, near-zero-emission, or high-efficiency replacement vehicles or a mobility option available to participants in the enhanced fleet modernization
program, established pursuant to Article 11 (commencing with Section 44124) of Chapter 5.
(B)
Programs implemented pursuant to this paragraph shall provide adequate outreach to disadvantaged, low-income, and moderate-income communities and consumers, including partnering with community-based organizations.
(5)
(A)
Require agricultural vanpool programs, including, but not limited to, the agricultural worker vanpools pilot project implemented by the state board pursuant to this chapter, to serve disadvantaged communities, as defined in Section 39711, and low-income
communities, as defined in
Section 39713, and allocate a minimum of 25 percent of the moneys appropriated by the Legislature for agricultural vanpool programs to those programs servicing low-income communities.
(B)
For the purposes of this paragraph, hybrid vehicle technology shall remain an eligible vehicle technology until the state board determines that a more cost-effective and cleaner alternative becomes commercially available.
