The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has announced the launch of the second round of the Clean Off-Road Equipment Voucher Incentive Project (CORE), providing point-of-sale rebates on off-road zero-emission equipment.
The project is managed by CALSTART and has US$125 million in funding available.
It is important to note that more than double the amount allocated to the project when it first started in January 2020.
CORE which started only for freight transport, is expanded this year to include financing for commercial port craft and agriculture and construction sectors.
“California is backing up its commitment to clean the air in overburdened communities and carry out the direction of the Governor’s Executive Order with a significant investment in zero-emission vehicles and sustainable transportation,” CARB deputy executive officer, Craig Segall said.
“CORE is specifically designed to assist industry sectors that currently use off-road equipment and can help clean up the communities hardest hit by air pollution,” he added.
Project participation has been streamlined for ease of use and key elements include:
- Qualified participants will receive voucher for point-of-sale discounts on off-road zero-emissions equipment, up to US$500,000 per voucher
- No requirement to “cut out”, sell or retire existing equipment
- Additional funding may be available for charging/refueling infrastructure, equipment operated in disadvantaged communities and small businesses
CORE supports the following nine equipment categories:
- On- and off-road terminal tractors
- Truck- and trailer-mounted transport refrigeration units (TRUs)
- Large forklifts and cargo-handling equipment
- Airport ground-support equipment
- Railcar movers and switcher locomotives
- Mobile power units (MPUs) and mobile shore-power cable management systems
- Construction equipment
- Agricultural equipment
- Commercial harbor craft
Notably, the first round of CORE resulted in more than 460 vouchers vehicles and electric vehicle supply equipment totaling more than US$62 million, with terminal tractors being the most requested type of equipment.
CORE is part of California Climate Investments, a state initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars into actions like reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy and more.
