SACRAMENTO MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT
SMUD partners with CARB and California electric utilities to offer $1,500 off electric cars
California Clean Fuel Reward reduces price of eligible vehicles at participating EV retailers

SMUD and other California electric utilities are teaming up with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to offer the California Clean Fuel Reward (CCFR), a point-of-sale incentive of up to $1,500 for the purchase or lease of any new eligible Battery Electric or Plug-in Hybrid vehicle. Starting on November 17, consumers will be able to purchase an eligible vehicle from an enrolled retailer and receive an instant reduction in the purchase price.

"As a leader in electric vehicle deployment, we're excited to be offering a larger incentive that will further the widespread use of clean cars in California," said SMUD CEO and General Manager Paul Lau.  "Providing greater access to clean cars furthers our commitment to clean air and healthy, thriving communities." 

"The goal of the program is to accelerate the number of electric vehicles on California's roads and highways," said CARB Vice-Chair Sandy Berg. "The instant point-of-sale incentive of up to $1,500, along with other programs like Clean Cars 4 All, will help make these ultra-clean cars more affordable, especially for low-income families or those living in disadvantaged communities."

For consumers, taking advantage of the reward is easy. When making an EV purchase at an enrolled retailer in California, the retailer will simply include the reward in the transaction at the point-of-sale. There is no need for the customer to do any paperwork after the sale to receive the reward. The CCFR is one of the most straightforward and inclusive rewards in the market, as it is available to everyone in California, regardless of utility provider.

It can also be combined with existing post-sale federal, state and local incentives, such as the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, Clean Cars 4 All and the Clean Vehicle Assistance Program.

The CCFR will replace SMUD's current electric vehicle rebate which offers a $599 cash incentive to charge free for two years or a free electric vehicle charger.

SMUD also offers a special EV rate discount which allows EV owners to save money when they charge their vehicles between midnight and 6 a.m. 

SMUD has long been a supporter of electric vehicles, having worked with major automakers and a wide variety of technology companies for the past 30 years to help test and optimize EV equipment and demonstrate real-world effectiveness.

"We're proud to have brought electric vehicles to underserved communities; electric school buses to local school districts; clean public transportation; and mobile battery charging stations to the community, and we're looking forward to increasing those efforts," said Lau.

In fact, SMUD is a founding member of the California Mobility Center in Sacramento that will serve as an innovation hub of policy, funding and commercialization of clean transportation technologies including autonomous transportation; electric vehicles; battery storage; shared mobility solutions; public transit and more.          

The CCFR is funded by electric utilities participating in CARB's Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) program. From its beginning in 2011, the LCFS has helped cleaner fuels displace more than 16 billion gallons of liquid petroleum fuels. The program allows producers of clean fuels, such as electric utilities, to generate credits they can sell to producers with more carbon-intense products. Sales of those credits fund programs such as the California Clean Fuel Reward program.

Southern California Edison is administering the program on behalf of, and in collaboration with, all participating utilities.

About SMUD

As the nation's sixth-largest community-owned, not-for-profit, electric service provider, SMUD has been providing low-cost, reliable electricity for more than 70 years to Sacramento County and small adjoining portions of Placer and Yolo Counties. SMUD is a recognized industry leader and award winner for its innovative energy efficiency programs, renewable power technologies, and for its sustainable solutions for a healthier environment. SMUD's power mix is about 50 percent non-carbon emitting. For more information, visit SMUD.org.