The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is launching a $40-million program called the Clean Off-Road Equipment Voucher Incentive Project (CORE), which is designed to aid in the purchase of zero-emission off-road freight technology.

CORE will offer vouchers for buyers to offset the higher initial costs of zero-emission equipment, including the following:

• On- and off-road terminal tractors
• Transport refrigeration units
• Forklifts (greater than 8,000 lbs lift capacity)
• Container handling equipment
• Airport cargo loaders
• Wide-body aircraft tugs
• Railcar movers
• Rubber-tired gantry cranes

Through CORE, business owners could receive $180,000 to cover the difference between the purchasing cost of a diesel and a zero-emission vehicle. The program also provides up to 10 percent higher incentives for equipment used in disadvantaged communities. Awards are capped at $500,000 per piece of equipment.

To obtain discounts, business owners select the appropriate equipment with the help of CORE-approved dealers, who submit CORE voucher request forms for the buyers.

CORE is modeled on California’s Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP), which has allocated more than $447 million to the purchase of zero-emission on-road technologies. Nonprofit consortium CALSTART, which administers HVIP, will administer CORE as well. Both programs are funded by California Climate Investments.

CORE funding is expected to begin by the end of the year.

CARB Executive Officer Richard W. Corey said, “Forward-thinking, savvy business owners will want to take advantage of CORE because it will enable them to replace their dirty older equipment and get the cleanest, most advanced models available for about the same price as the diesel- or gas-powered version.”

Source: California Air Resources Board