SACRAMENTO — California could offer rebates for electric vehicle purchases if the incoming Trump administration eliminates a federal tax credit for people who buy electric cars, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday.
Newsom, a Democrat, will propose creating a new version of the state’s Clean Vehicle Rebate Program, which was phased out in 2023 after funding 594,000 cars and saving 456 million gallons of fuel, Newsom’s office said.
“Consumers continue to prove the skeptics wrong – zero-emission vehicles are here to stay,” Newsom said in a statement. “We’re not turning back on a clean transportation future — we’re going to make it more affordable for people to drive vehicles that don’t pollute.”
Newsom’s proposal is part of his plan to protect California’s progressive policies ahead of Republican President-elect Donald Trump’s second term. He called the state Legislature to convene in a special session to help “Trump-proof” state laws by giving the attorney general’s office more funding to fight federal challenges.
FILE – An electric vehicle is charged at a parking garage in Los Angeles, Oct. 17, 2018. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File)
But a budget shortfall could complicate California’s resistance efforts. Early budget projections show the state could face a $2 billion deficit next year, according to a report released last week by the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office. That’s an improvement from an estimated $46.8 billion deficit the state faced last year, but the shortfall could still curtail the state’s ability to expand new programs and fight federal legal challenges. Legislative leaders in both chambers have said the state needs to stay prudent in anticipation of future budget deficits.
Money for the new rebate system could come from the state’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, which is funded by polluters under the state’s cap-and-trade program, the governor’s office said.
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Officials didn’t say how much the program would cost or how the rebates would work. Newsom is expected to offer more details of the possible rebate program during an appearance in Kern County later Monday.
California has surpassed 2 million zero-emission vehicles sold, according to Newsom’s office. The state has passed policies in recent years to transition away from fossil fuel-powered, cars, trucks, trains and lawn mowers.
Trump previously vowed to end federal electric vehicle tax credits, which are worth up to $7,500 for new zero-emission vehicles. There’s also a $4,000 credit for used ones. But Trump later softened his stance as Tesla CEO Elon Musk became a supporter and adviser.
Newsom said at a news conference last week that he called Trump after the election and the incoming president hasn’t returned his call.
California’s defunct Clean Vehicle Rebate Program offered rebates on electric cars as high as $2,500.
Any new rebate program “would include changes to promote innovation and competition” in the zero-emission vehicles market, the statement said.