California Agency Approves $11 Million Contract to CALSTART to Incentivize Sales of Electric and Hybrid Trucks

PASADENA, CA--(Marketwire - Feb 1, 2012) - The California Air Resources Board (ARB) has selected CALSTART (www.calstart.org) for the third year in a row to manage the nation's largest incentive program for electric and hybrid trucks and buses. Initially launched in 2010, the successful ARB program has led to the deployment of more than 1,000 electric and hybrid trucks and buses throughout the state.

"CALSTART, in partnership with TIAX, is very pleased to have been selected by ARB to manage this high impact program. As a direct result of this ARB program, by an order of magnitude, there are more electric and hybrid trucks in California than any other state," said CALSTART President and CEO John Boesel. Nearly a quarter of all electric and hybrid trucks in the United States are operating on California highways and streets.

The ARB electric and hybrid truck incentive award has received praise for its simplicity and effectiveness. Unlike complicated tax policies or manufacturer rebates, the ARB voucher program provides a direct cost reduction to the dealer and the savings are transparent and evident to the fleet buyers. As a result, other government agencies, including the California Energy Commission and the South Coast Air Quality Management District have elected to add funds to the ARB program to meet their strategic objectives.

The environmental and energy benefits of electric and hybrid trucks can be significant. Depending on the duty cycle, a hybrid truck can reduce fuel and harmful emissions by 20 to 50 percent, and an electric truck reduces emissions to zero. Conventional trucks on average use much more fuel than the common passenger car.

"California is playing a critical role in helping to jump-start the clean truck sector in California and beyond. Hopefully its leadership will be followed in other states," said Boesel.

Visit www.CaliforniaHVIP.org to learn details on the program, the eligible vehicles, and how to claim a voucher today.

About CALSTART
CALSTART is a non-profit organization which manages an array of programs designed to accelerate the growth of the entire clean transportation technology industry. For more information, visit www.calstart.org.