Zero-emission vehicles: transportation systems.

(1) Existing law describes the powers and duties of the State Air Resources Board relating to reducing emissions of air pollutants. Existing law requires the state board to adopt and implement emission standards for new motor vehicles. Existing law authorizes the state board to adopt regulations in furtherance of its powers and duties. This bill would require the state board, by March 1, 2017, to revise its zero-emission vehicle standard regulation to expand the definition of "transportation systems eligible for zero-emission vehicle credits" under that regulation to include additional entities utilizing fleets of zero-emission vehicles, including rental car companies, transportation network companies, taxicab companies, and car-sharing companies, to the extent that the operations of those entities involve ridesharing features offered by those entities that reduce per-passenger emissions. (2) The Charge Ahead California Initiative, administered by the state board, includes goals of, among other things, placing in service at least 1,000,000 zero-emission and near-zero-emission vehicles by January 1, 2023, and increasing access for disadvantaged, low-income, and moderate-income communities and consumers to zero-emission and near-zero-emission vehicles. This bill would require the state board, as part of the initiative, to conduct a study to determine the feasibility and efficacy of providing grants to transit operators to subsidize cost-effective rides serving disadvantaged communities through the use of zero-emission vehicles that are utilized by transportation systems that are eligible for zero-emission vehicle credits, in a manner that complements the transit service offered by the transit operator.