FAQ

Yes.  The program is open and we are accepting applications. Our team has transitioned to a fully remote operation. We have made several other programmatic changes to protect our team’s health and safety, while also accommodating program participants who are impacted by the evolving health and economic crisis.

We are so sorry to hear about the challenges you are facing because of the evolving health and economic crisis.  We have extended the deadline to redeem a grant by an additional 90 days.  In total, grant recipients will have 125 days to redeem a grant once it has been approved.  The 90-day extension applies to applicants who have already received a grant approval letter in 2020. This extension will be available to grant-approved participants until further notice.  We will continue monitoring the impacts of the evolving health and economic crisis and will consider additional changes if appropriate.

No. We have adjusted our policy to align with the updated IRS filing deadline. We will require 2019 tax transcripts starting July 15th, 2020. Until then, we will accept either 2018 or 2019 tax transcripts to verify income

We will continue monitoring the impacts of the evolving health and economic crisis and will consider additional changes as needed. Visit our Announcement Page for the most up-to-date information.

Please visit the California Department of Health website for information about the evolving health crisis.

Please visit our Announcement Page for the most up-to-date information.  You can also email cleanvehicles@beneficialstate.org with additional questions.  We anticipate some delays in our ability to respond to questions while our team transitions to working remotely. We apologize for any delays and appreciate your patience.

The Clean Vehicle Assistance Program is currently accepting new applications. The program has reopened with updated program criteria. To learn more about program updates, click here.

Our program helps income-qualified California residents get a new or used hybrid or electric vehicle. We do this through a combination of grants and fair financing options. Our lending partner, Beneficial State Bank, offers 8% or lower interest rate auto loans for qualified participants.

We give grants, not rebates. Clean vehicle grants are awarded to individuals at the point of sale of a qualifying clean vehicle, not after the fact. If you have already purchased or leased a clean vehicle, we cannot give you a grant. The Clean Vehicle Rebate Program offers rebates to new eligible clean vehicles, which are awarded after a qualifying clean vehicle purchase.

It can take as little as three weeks or as long as three months to complete the application process. It depends on how long you take to complete the 5 steps of the application, how many applications we are processing when you submit your application, and how quickly we can verify your eligibility from the documentation you provide. On average, it takes people around six weeks to qualify for a clean vehicle grant. We process applications on a first-come, first-serve basis.

The Clean Vehicle Assistance Program is funded by California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy and improving public health and the environment—particularly in disadvantaged communities.

The grant amount you can qualify for depends on your household’s gross annual income. The maximum grant amounts are currently $2,500 for hybrid cars and $5,000 for plug-in cars. You can learn more about what grant amounts you could potentially qualify for here. 

Grants do not need to be repaid if all program criteria is met.

Yes. You will have 60 days to complete a grant application. If you are approved for a grant, you will have 35 days to redeem the grant by purchasing a qualifying clean vehicle at one of our Network Dealerships.

You can take your Approval Letter to any of our approved Network Dealerships to redeem a grant to lower the cost of a new or used clean vehicle. The dealership should write the grant into your purchase contract as a Deferred Down Payment. The dealership will then send all required documents to the Clean Vehicle Assistance Program team and we will verify the purchase and all program requirements. Lastly, we will send the grant payment directly to the dealership if all program requirements are met.

If you purchase a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) or a Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) with a clean vehicle grant, you are eligible to receive a charging grant too. You can redeem this grant by contacting our partner, GRID Alternatives, but please wait 30 days after you purchase a vehicle with a grant. Learn more about the charging grants here. 

To learn more about the charging grant before you purchase a vehicle, please contact the CVA Program team at cleanvehicles@beneficialstate.org or 1-559-271-1957. If you have already purchased a vehicle, please contact the GRID Alternatives Electric Vehicle Team at evs@gridalternatives.org.

GRID Alternatives must verify that you have received a clean vehicle grant before the team is able to help you get a charging grant. It typically takes between 2-4 weeks to finalize a grant payment in our system and update this information for GRID Alternatives. If you call to begin the process before we’ve updated your file, the GRID Alternatives Electric Vehicle Team will not be able to help you begin the process.

Yes, we’ve partnered with a fair and transparent lending partner, Beneficial State Bank, to provide our program participants with a special offering. Qualified program participants may be eligible for an auto loan with an 8% or lower interest rate loan from Beneficial State Bank. You may qualify for an 8% rate even if you have a low credit score. If you have a low credit score, a low-interest rate loan may not be available to you at other lenders. Choosing Beneficial State Bank’s 8% interest rate loan could save you money if you qualify. You can also get financing from a lender of your choice, but it must have a 12% interest rate or below.

If you cannot secure a qualifying loan at this time, another option is to purchase a clean vehicle outright. If that is not an option and you are unable to secure a qualifying loan, unfortunately we cannot provide you with a Clean Vehicle Assistance Program grant at this time. We encourage you to contact your primary lender for credit resources that may help you improve your credit score.

Monthly payments vary based on the amount of loan and the term length of your loan. For example, if you received a $5,000 grant for an electric car and take out a $5,000 loan to be repaid over 4 years, you would only need to repay $5,000 and your monthly payment would be around $122 a month. Keep in mind, based on the vehicle you select and the amount financed your payment may be higher or lower. We encourage you to talk to Beneficial State Bank or your preferred lender for a more accurate monthly payment calculation designed for you. 

New and used hybrid, plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and battery electric vehicles (BEV) are eligible for purchase or lease with grant funds. Used vehicles must be 8 years old or less 75,000 miles or less to be eligible for a clean vehicle grant. If the vehicle has an open recall or does not have a clean title, it is not eligible.

Many clean vehicle owners appreciate that hybrid and electric vehicles cost less to own and contribute less to air pollution because of their high fuel economy. Hybrid and electric vehicles are increasingly common and affordable and range in size from compact models to larger SUVs, so you will have many options to choose from when shopping for a clean vehicle that will fit your transportation needs and budget. If you choose a clean vehicle with an electric motor, charging can be as easy as plugging your vehicle into a 3-prong outlet at your home. Or you can get a free Level 2 charging station installed if you purchase a battery electric vehicle (BEV) or a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) through the Clean Vehicle Assistance Program.

Monthly payments vary based on the amount of loan and the term length of your loan. For example, if you received a $5,000 grant for an electric car and took out a $5,000 loan to be repaid over 4 years, you would only need to repay $5,000 and your monthly payment would be around $122 a month. Keep in mind, based on the vehicle you select and the amount financed your payment may be higher or lower. We encourage you to talk to Beneficial State Bank or your preferred lender for a more accurate monthly payment calculation designed for you.

No, we do have some restrictions because we strive to only work with dealers that have proven to treat consumers fairly. Our network of approved dealerships includes hundreds of dealerships across California, see our list of network dealerships here.

Bring your Approval Packet and your loan pre-approval letter (if you plan to get an auto loan). It also helps to have a clear idea of your budget and what type of car you want to buy when you go to purchase a new or used vehicle. Visit our Youtube Channel to learn more about how to purchase a vehicle and what type of vehicle best fits your lifestyle.  

If you are buying a new Tesla, we recommend that you place your Tesla order in the first week that you are grant approved and provide the CVA Program team with your signed Tesla motor vehicle order agreement.  In the event you are unable to place your Tesla order in the first week of being approved for a clean vehicle grant, you might be asked to reapply for a new grant approval due to Tesla’s order and delivery timeline.

Yes, however, we recommend doing extensive research before entering a lease agreement. We are unable to ensure fair leasing practices from the leasing companies, so it is your responsibility to negotiate a fair lease that will meet the program requirements. There are many resources on the internet to help you prepare for a lease, such as this video. Grant recipients are required to own or lease their clean vehicle for a minimum of 30 months. 

The CVA Program clean vehicle grant can be combined, or “stacked,” with some other clean vehicle programs. The CVA Program can NOT be stacked with grants from Replace Your Ride, Clean Cars for All, Drive Clean in the San Joaquin, or the Driving Clean Assistance Program. The CVA Program can be stacked with the Clean Vehicle Rebate Program, but restrictions apply and participants are responsible for meeting the requirements of each program independently. Other programs may be able to stack with the CVA Program grant, such as the Federal Income Tax Credit. You can explore a full list of clean vehicle incentives available in California here. Stacking between programs depends on the availability of funds for each program. Funds are not guaranteed.

Step 1: Complete the CVA Program application online.

Step 2: Receive your CVA Program Approval Packet.

Step 3: Bring your Approval Packet to a CVA Program Network Dealership to redeem your grant by purchasing or leasing a NEW qualifying vehicle (used vehicles are not eligible for the CVRP rebate). NOTE: the vehicle you purchase or lease must meet the vehicle requirements of BOTH the CVA Program and CVRP. Learn about the CVA Program vehicle eligibility guidelines here. Click here to view eligible vehicles for the CVRP and learn about CVRP eligibility guidelines here.

Step 4: Apply for the CVRP rebate within 3 months of purchasing or leasing an eligible vehicle.

Step 5: Receive a CVRP approval email.

Step 6: Receive CVRP rebate check in the mail. This typically takes about 90 days from the approval email.