Chevrolet Volt, Nissan Leaf allowed to use California HOV lanes

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Chevrolet, Nissan, Legislation and Policy, Natural Gas

California commuters will either celebrate or curse SB 535, a new law that extends hybrid and alternative-fuel vehicles' usage of High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes in the Golden State.

Introduced by Sen. Leland Yee and signed into law by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the new law expands the ability for hybrid, electric and natural-gas powered vehicles fitted with the ubiquitous yellow bumper stickers to drive solo in the carpool lanes during designated hours. Additionally, it increases the number of permits to 40,000 and widens the eligible vehicles to include the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid and the Nissan Leaf electric vehicle.

Some lawmakers opposed the bill, citing that California's carpool lanes are already congested with alt-fuel vehicles and additional permits will exacerbate the issue. And this shouldn't come as a surprise, but General Motors sponsored the bill. Plug In America says it "worked tirelessly" to support the bill and cheered its passing, as you can read after the jump.

[Source: LA Times]

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Chevrolet Volt, Nissan Leaf allowed to use California HOV lanes originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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