Valley air district sweetens deal on clean-air vehicles

SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY – In an effort to reduce Central Valley emissions, drivers now have an incentive to move to low-emission vehicles. 

The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District (the District) has now launched the Drive Clean in the San Joaquin rebate program. The District is offering Valley residents and businesses rebates of up to $3,000 for the purchase or lease of new clean-air vehicles. 

To be eligible, applicants must have purchased or leased a vehicle on the program’s eligible vehicle list, and have 18 months from the purchase date to submit their application. Rebate applications are processed on a first come, first-served basis. 

Application does not guarantee that a rebate will be issued, and money will be dispersed based on remaining available funds. As of July 31, the program has $4,518,000 in the bank. 

Based on the type of vehicle listed in the application, applicants can be eligible for varying rebate amounts.

Zero-emission motorcycles are eligible for up to $500, and natural gas vehicles rated as a super ultra-low emission vehicle are eligible for up to $750. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and natural gas vehicles rated as an Advanced Technology Partial Zero-emission vehicle, are eligible for up to $1,000.

The two highest-ticket vehicles are battery electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, which can be eligible for up to $2,000 and $3,000 respectively.

This rebate program aims to run until funds have been exhausted. Daily reports of remaining funding and additional updates can be found on the District’s website.