Buy a Volt or Leaf, get an HOV sticker (Sacramento)
In an effort to help jump-start sales of green vehicles, the California state Senate on Wednesday approved legislation that would allow advanced technology vehicles, such as plug-in hybrids and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, access to carpool lanes during commute hours until 2015.
Authored by Senator Leland Yee of San Francisco, SB 535 passed on a bipartisan vote of 28-3.
The bill would allow up to 40,000 of cutting-edge vehicles access to carpool lanes. Several car manufacturers, including General Motors, Nissan and Toyota, are launching such vehicles between now and 2012.
Under current law, all-electric vehicles and hybrids, such as the popular Toyota Prius, qualify for special access to carpool lanes during commute hours. Both of those programs are set to expire at the end of the year. The bill also would extend access to the HOV lanes by electric vehicles to 2015, and give basic hybrids another six months of access.
Once received, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will have 12 days to sign or veto the bill.
"It is imperative that we find ways to limit our carbon footprint," Yee said in a news release. "SB 535 will provide a great incentive for car manufacturers to develop higher emission standards and for individuals to purchase greener vehicles."
Read the full story in the Sacramento Business Journal.
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