There are now more advantages to drive an electric car as a commuter in California than only saving money on tax credits and rebates, your carbon footprint, fuel, and maintenance costs. If you buy or lease an electric car (or plug-in hybrid) in 2020, you can apply for a bright orange California carpool sticker that will allow you to travel alone in the HOV lane until 2023.
Is it possible to drive an electric automobile in a high-occupancy vehicle (HOV)?
For a variety of reasons, including decreased pollutants, fuel savings, quick acceleration, and a quiet ride, driving an electric automobile is a wise decision. Another significant advantage of driving electric is unrivaled convenience, which includes fewer service visits and access to time-saving carpool lanes. My own electric vehicle journey began with the desire to alleviate a difficult commute through the congested southern part of the Bay Area. When I went to purchase a carpool lane sticker, I discovered that the sticker came with an automobile! I too enjoyed electric driving so much that I upgraded from my LEAF to a Tesla.
Why EVs Can Get in the HOV Lane
Many states and countries, including California, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, and British Columbia, offer high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane access to EVs and other low-emission vehicles, which is usually indicated by a specific sticker or license plate. According to studies, HOV lane access has influenced Californians’ decisions to buy electric vehicles, and it’s certainly a factor for drivers in other states as well. Because driving an electric vehicle reduces greenhouse gas emissions by half or more, governments have discovered that allowing EVs to utilize HOV lanes can stimulate EV adoption and be an effective method for decreasing emissions across North America. HOV lane access was the primary buying factor for 34-57 percent of respondents in a post-purchase survey of 3,659 plug-in electric car customers in California.
“Having a car with a carpool HOV lane sticker was crucial to me.
Driver of a Chevy Volt
New EV owners frequently want to know how to gain time-saving carpool lane access once they’ve gotten used to their quiet, peppy new ride. Estimates of carpool lane time savings vary, however most people find that using the HOV lane is beneficial. According to a research on Houston’s HOV lanes, drivers saved 12-22 minutes each trip, according to a study in the Seattle region “Significant travel time savings in carpool lanes, with savings ranging from 5 to 30 minutes on several Los Angelesarea freeways. Getting the sticker may be worthwhile if you have a long commute.
The vehicle has a fuel economy of more than 45 mpg and complies with California’s Ultra Low Emission Vehicle regulations.
Alternative fuel vehicle (AFV), battery electric vehicle (BEV), extended range electric vehicle (EREV), fuel cell vehicle (FCV), fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV), natural gas vehicle (NGV), plug-in electric vehicle (PEV, may include all-electric or plug-in hybrid), and hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) are all examples of eligible vehicles (HEV, eg, Prius)
Now that you know if your electric car qualifies for carpool lane access or toll discounts, here are some pointers for a pleasant HOV lane experience:
- Permits are issued to the vehicle, not the owner. When you sell your car, you must also sell the permit.
- States may have different qualifying models for HOV lane programs, so check your state’s official transportation website for details.
- Because certain programs may only accept a limited number of applicants, apply as soon as possible.
In California, clean air car decals that are white (zero-emission) or green (plug-in hybrid or partial zero-emission) are valid until January 1, 2019. All California electric vehicle drivers will require a new red sticker beginning January 1, 2019. If you drive an eligible vehicle and were awarded a green or white HOV decal after January 1, 2017, you can apply for a red sticker here. If you already have a sticker, you should also receive a fresh sticker application in the mail.
I hope this information on how to (legally) zoom into the carpool lane in your electric vehicle helps you get the most out of your electric vehicle. If your state or province does not have HOV lane access for EVs, you can campaign for it with the support of the GoEV movement. Don’t forget about the other fantastic advantages for switching electric, like as EV subsidies, tax breaks, and refunds for home charging.
In California, do electric vehicles have to pay tolls?
Electric vehicles do, in fact, pay regular tolls in California. The tag is valid on all toll bridges and express lanes in the Bay Area, and it entitles the vehicle to free or reduced charges. Each tag is limited to one car, although users can register up to three more tags for free under the same account.
Is it possible for Teslas to use the HOV lane?
When the vehicle identifies two or more passengers, Tesla is planned to include an automatic High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) recognition technology, which would allow Navigate on Autopilot to automatically use carpool lanes.
‘The’ “The Use HOV Lanes feature was introduced with Tesla’s V9 Software Update in October 2018, and it was designed to help drivers evaluate whether their vehicle was eligible to use HOV lanes when using Navigate on Autopilot. Tesla’s Autopilot navigation is a feature “Model 3, Model S, and Model X drivers now have access to the full self-driving software suite. However, Tesla YouTuber Quinn Nelson proposed using seat sensors to detect whether passengers are present in the vehicle, automatically turning on and off the toggle button and removing the need for the driver to do it manually.
In California, what vehicles are allowed to use the HOV lane?
In HOV Lanes, the following vehicles are permitted to drive:
- Vehicles for Public Transportation (i.e., busses)
- Vehicles that are plug-in hybrids, alternative fuel vehicles, or clean air vehicles (must have green or white decal issued by the California DMV)
- Any vehicle with two or more occupants is considered a multi-occupant vehicle (some highways require three or more)
How much does a California HOV sticker cost?
- Fill out the Clean Air Vehicle Decals REG 1000 application.
- Send the completed application to the address on the form, along with a $22 decal charge (no cash).
- Wait for the stickers to arrive in the mail (usually within 30 business days)
To ensure that your application is complete and that you receive your ticket, follow these DMV guidelines:
- Check the CARB eligibility list for your car.
- All vehicle information should be entered at the top of the form.
- Provide your (the current registered owner’s) name and address in section 1. The application’s address must match the vehicle registration card’s address.
- Check “Original decals, if the vehicle has never been granted a CAV decal” in section 2.
- Read all necessary information in section 3, print your name and phone number, and sign the form.
Is it possible to travel in the HOV lane without using FasTrak?
To use the express lanes, all cars must have a FasTrak toll tag. With a FasTrak Flex toll tag set to the 3+ position, three-person carpools, buses, vanpools, and motorcycles can travel toll-free.