California

California Ends Electric Vehicle Access to Carpool Lanes

Extension of the Clean Air Vehicle Progam required federal approval, which never came.
California Ends Electric Vehicle Access to Carpool Lanes
A woman fills her car up with gasoline in Los Angeles on July 1, 2025. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times
Kimberly Hayek
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California’s electric vehicle drivers (EV) are set to lose their ability to use carpool lanes solo, as a federal program granting the privilege has not been renewed, potentially impacting commuters across the state.

The Clean Air Vehicle program, which started in 2001, allowed battery-powered and plug-in hybrid vehicles to access high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes with only one occupant. More than 1.2 million decals were issued by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) under the Clean Air Vehicle (CAV) program, with about 512,000 still valid in August.

Kimberly Hayek
Kimberly Hayek
Author
Kimberly Hayek is a reporter for The Epoch Times. She covers California news and has worked as an editor and on scene at the U.S.-Mexico border during the 2018 migrant caravan crisis.