Fewer Than 4,000 Green Calif. HOV Stickers Remain

Cameron Aubernon
by Cameron Aubernon

For potential California PHEV owners, time may soon run out to obtain the Green Clean Air Vehicle Sticker issued by the California Environmental Protection Agency for HOV lane use, as only 3,770 of the 40,000 stickers remain available.

Inside EVs reports a huge spike in applications for the green stickers since the start of 2013, with 12,000 issued last year, and 8,000 more since January. This is in contrast to 2012, when around 500 stickers per month were issued in the first seven months of the year.

The stickers, meant for AT PZEVs such as the Toyota Prius and Chevrolet Volt, will likely be gone by the time BMW brings the i3 extended-range model to the United States this summer, and in spite of the automaker’s best efforts, only the pure-electric i3 will be eligible for the White Clean Air Vehicle Sticker issued to as many approved EVs, fuel-cell- and CNG-powered vehicles — like the Tesla Model S, Ram 2500 and Honda FCX Clarity — as can be registered.

Both green and white HOV stickers are set to expire New Year’s Day 2019, extended from the same date in 2015.

Cameron Aubernon
Cameron Aubernon

Seattle-based writer, blogger, and photographer for many a publication. Born in Louisville. Raised in Kansas. Where I lay my head is home.

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  • Tced2 Tced2 on Mar 20, 2014

    Where did the original 40,000 number come from? Why not 50,000? or 400,000?

    • See 4 previous
    • PandaBear PandaBear on Mar 25, 2014

      @masouds You mean Tesla? I don't think any Lexus qualify for sticker (the original yellow stickers expired by now).

  • Jim brewer Jim brewer on Mar 20, 2014

    Don't understand why we incentivize these kinds of cars on one hand, and then, in some states, propose to revamp road taxes to tax these cars which supposedly aren't paying their fair share. Which is it?

  • Zip89123 Zip89123 on Mar 20, 2014

    This should be illegal, but then again it's Commiefornia.

  • Achtgang Achtgang on Mar 22, 2014

    With the stickers gone, sales of the green machines will plummet.

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