(Image Credit: IMAGN) An electric car charges at an EV charging station in Oklahoma City, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024.
California – For years, California drivers who switched to low-emission vehicles have enjoyed a major perk: unrestricted access to high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes, regardless of the number of passengers. But that benefit may soon disappear, potentially making traffic even worse for EV drivers.
The federal statute that allows states to extend HOV lane access to eco-friendly cars is set to expire on September 30. According to Automotive News, California lawmakers are pushing to keep the program alive, but so far, federal legislators in Washington, D.C., have not taken action.
Republican state assemblyman Greg Wallis, who authored a bill to extend the program, sees it as a crucial incentive for California’s clean transportation goals. “Many California auto buyers purchase ZEVs to access HOV lanes,” Wallis said in a statement. “I strongly encourage the Trump administration to extend the program to keep our transportation transition moving in the right direction.”
The HOV exemption has been around for decades. It dates back to the 1998 Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, which allowed states to let certain single-occupancy vehicles into carpool lanes, provided they met strict emissions standards. In 1999, California introduced its Clean Air Vehicle Decal program, offering an additional push toward cleaner cars.
To qualify for the program, cars must meet specific criteria: internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles must satisfy California’s SULEV and Federal ILEV emission standards, plug-in hybrids must meet California’s TZEV standards, or they must be fully electric or hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles. The catch? The decals are issued only once per vehicle and are non-transferable.
While the potential loss of this incentive is another setback for electric vehicles, some argue that its effectiveness has already diminished. As Automotive News reports, the number of decals issued by the California DMV surged by 52% between 2023 and 2024. With more clean vehicles on the road, HOV lanes have become increasingly congested, reducing their original time-saving advantage.
If Congress doesn’t extend the program, thousands of EV owners could find themselves stuck in worsening traffic. It’s a potential shift that could impact not only daily commutes but also the overall appeal of electric vehicles for new buyers.
For drivers who have embraced EVs for convenience, sustainability, and incentives like HOV lane access, this change could be a serious roadblock. Whether California can convince lawmakers to keep the program alive remains to be seen—but time is running out.
