The state of California will pick up the tab for personal car repairs as part of an under-the-radar program \u2014 but only if you own an EV.<\/p>\n
The California Air Resources Board has quietly launched a $10 million program that pays for battery repairs up to $7,500 for electric vehicles<\/a> \u2014 or, if the battery can\u2019t be salvaged, up to $10,000 if you choose to purchase or lease a new car.<\/p>\n Called the Zero-Emission Assurance Project, the plan launched statewide on March 30. <\/p>\n California will pick up the tab for battery repairs for electric vehicles under a $10 million program. MediaNews Group via Getty Images<\/p>\n Anyone who has \u201cpurchased and continuously owned a used zero-emission vehicle\u201d through two state funding assistance programs \u2014 CARB Financing Assistance or Clean Cars 4 All \u2014\u00a0 is eligible, according to a state website. <\/p>\n The program covers up to $7,500 in repairs for failed battery or fuel cell components not covered by a warranty. If the battery can\u2019t be salvaged, the state will subsidize the purchase of a new EV at up to $10,000. <\/p>\n The freebies are the result of Assembly Bill 193, passed by former assemblymember and current state Sen. Sabrina Cervantes, representing Riverside, and signed by then-Gov. Jerry Brown. <\/p>\n The $10 million program was funded through Gov. Gavin Newsom\u2019s 2022 budget \u2014 a trailer bill tucked inside a massive $2.5 billion spending plan to boost zero-emission vehicles.<\/a> <\/p>\n State Sen. Sabrina Cervantes introduced the rebate plan in 2018. AP<\/p>\n California has pushed aggressively to expand electric vehicles to help meet a controversial mandate that 100% of vehicles sold in the state be zero-emission by 2035. Lawmakers\u2019 main tactics to drive consumer sales are hefty subsidies \u2014 like a $7,500 Clean Vehicle Rebate Program that ended in 2023 \u2014\u00a0and Republicans have slammed the idea of taxpayer subsidies for private car purchases. <\/p>\n \u201cCalifornia is beyond parody. They actively work to perpetuate poverty and energy shortages,\u201d wrote Jason Hayes of the America First Policy Institute on X<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThen, when they get poverty and energy shortages, they create programs to steal money from average citizens and bail out the people who bought into their lies.\u201d<\/p>\n California\u2019s controversial zero-emissions mandate is under threat from Republican lawmakers. Bloomberg via Getty Images<\/p>\n After President Donald Trump killed federal EV incentives and blocked California\u2019s zero-emission mandate last year, Newsom announced a $200 million rebate plan to boost California\u2019s lagging EV market<\/a>, though specifics are still forthcoming. <\/p>\n House Republicans have launched an investigation into California\u2019s zero-emissions mandate, subpoenaing California Air Resources Board Chair Lauren Sanchez <\/a>this week for documents regarding the mandate. <\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\tNews Alerts\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSign up to get the best stories straight to your inbox.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for subscribing\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \u201cForcing Americans to buy unreliable, and costly, EVs would eliminate consumer choice, strain our electric grid, raise costs, and increase our reliance on entities tied to the Chinese Communist Party,\u201d House Energy and Commerce Chairman Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) exclusively told The Post.<\/p>\n An Air Resources Board spokesperson indicated the board would cooperate with the probe. <\/p>\n \u201cCalifornia\u2019s longstanding authority under the Clean Air Act and the actions CARB has taken to protect public health and welfare in the state,\u201d said a spokersperson. <\/p>\n Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters <\/p>\n California Post News: Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, X<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, WhatsApp<\/a>, LinkedIn<\/a> \t\t\t\t\t\t
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