You Purchased an EV to Avoid Traffic, But Now You're Trapped with Everyone Else | Carscoops

      The program that promoted the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) is set to conclude on September 30, 2025.

      California's access to the HOV lane for EVs will cease on this date due to the expiration of an EPA waiver. Similar initiatives in other states will also come to an end, affecting drivers of clean-energy vehicles. California's effort to prolong the program until 2027 is stalled, lacking federal approval.

      For many years, driving alone in an electric or alternative fuel vehicle was accompanied by a subtle advantage: access to the fast-moving HOV lane. This perk, once viewed as a means to encourage the use of cleaner transportation, is now approaching its conclusion. The Clean Air Vehicle (CAV) Decal program in California, which has served as a reliable shortcut for eligible drivers, is scheduled to end on September 30, 2025. The repercussions will extend beyond state borders.

      The program also exists in various forms in several states, including Maryland, Hawaii, and North Carolina. It facilitated the adoption of EVs and alternative fuel vehicles by granting access to HOV lanes without the need for meeting occupancy requirements. Its continuation has relied on an Environmental Protection Agency waiver, which is now facing a legal challenge from Congress.

      “Clean Air Vehicle Decals are a smart, cost-effective incentive that has played an important role in driving the adoption of clean and zero-emission vehicles in California,” stated Liane Randolph, chair of the California Air Resources Board, to Road&Track. “However, due to the federal government's inaction, this successful program is coming to an end.”

      Currently, the program is set to end on September 30. Following this date, all vehicles in HOV lanes nationwide will be required to comply with minimum occupancy regulations or pay tolls for access, regardless of their fuel type. In California alone, this will impact 519,000 individuals who have active decals for the HOV lane.

      This shift will not be confined to California. According to the Department of Motor Vehicles, “Halting this program means that starting October 1, 2025, CAV decals will no longer be valid in California or any other state in the United States. All vehicles will be expected to meet posted occupancy limits to utilize carpool lanes and must pay necessary tolls or face citations.”

      Sacramento is actively pursuing an extension of the program. State Assemblymember Greg Wallis (R-Bermuda Dunes) has introduced a bill to move the termination date to January 1, 2027, which was signed by Governor Gavin Newsom last year. However, without federal approval, this initiative is unlikely to succeed.

      Unless an unexpected development occurs in the coming months, HOV lanes across the United States are poised to revert to standard carpool lanes.