smkettner said:
I thought CA was considering to let the Green Stickers expire.
Anyway it should give the Volt one last boost before it has to stand on its own.
They aren't going to expire until 1/1/2019, just like the white stickers, but they had run out of the quota, 70k (originally 40k, then upped twice to 55k and 70k, and once signed, a third time to 85k). They are clearly a if not
the major factor in CA's PEV take rate, but go against the purpose of HOV lanes, i.e. to get people into car pools. Of course, that only works if you continue to decrease the number of regular lanes while adding extra HOV lanes; otherwise, temporarily decreased congestion due to HOV lanes just encourages people to due more opportunity trips, soon making things just as if not more congested.
I've said before that if the state is going to keep them, they should offer people a choice of either the stickers or the rebate, not both. For anyone who can afford one of these cars and commutes on a freeway with HOV lanes, the stickers are far more valuable than the rebate when you monetize people's time. On average, people value their commute time at about 1/2 their equivalent hourly rate, and given the average income levels of the people buying/leasing PEVs, the stickers are worth a couple grand or more a year to them, versus the $1,500-$2,500 rebate. In effect, HOV lanes in California are already 'Lexus' lanes, just without direct payment like HOT lanes.
