EV sticker shock: Solo drivers using California carpool lanes face hefty fines

Solo EV drivers using California carpool lanes will face ticketing beginning Monday as the perk disappears.

Though the benefit technically ended for solo drivers a few months ago, the Department of Motor Vehicles offered a 60-day grace period that ended Monday. Now, solo drivers face fines of up to $490.

With this, most carpool lanes require vehicles with more than two people.

Here is what to know:

How many people are affected?

As of Aug. 14, more than half a million motorists statewide had an active decal on their vehicle to access carpool lanes. California has an estimated 1,171 carpool lane-miles, with 803 miles in Southern California and 366 miles in Northern California, according to a UC Berkeley study.

With more than 35 million total registered vehicles in California, that means 1% to 2% of the vehicle fleet will lose access to the carpool lane, said Antonio Bento, professor of public policy and economics at USC.

What’s the background?

Federal legislation has allowed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to grant solo drivers in low-emission and energy-efficient cars to use the carpool, or High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV), lane.

The goal was to promote the adoption of alternative-fuel vehicles and assist in meeting environmental goals that included reducing fuel consumption and pollution caused by congested freeways, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Over time, states developed incentive programs, choosing which car models to give carpool access to.

California is one of 13 states that offered this type of incentive program to its residents. Qualified drivers in the Golden State include those who drive fuel cell electric, natural gas or plug-in electric cars.

Why is the perk ending?

In 2015, Congress authorized California’s program through a highway funding bill, but that authorization expired Sept. 30.

In an effort to extend the decal program, state Assemblymember Greg Wallis (R-Bermuda Dunes) wrote Assembly Bill 2678, which would push the end date to Jan. 1, 2027.

The bill was signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom last year.

But the change never got the required federal approval so the extension was moot.