Aug 17, 2019 - Energy & Environment

Colorado is the 10th state to join California's zero-emissions program

In this image, an electric car is plugged into a charger in a sunny parking lot

Electric car charging at an eVgo charging station a California parking lot in 2018. Photo: Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images

Colorado became the 10th state to adopt California’s Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEV) program this week alongside its Low-Emission Vehicle (LEV) standards, to make electric vehicles more available in the state and improve air quality, the Colorado Sun reports.

What it means: California's requirements are stricter than federal standards, which it maintains under the Clean Air Act. The ZEV program gives rebates for zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) and incentives for ZEV infrastructure and aims to "reduce the emissions contributing to climate change," per the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES).

Other states that have adopted California's ZEV and LEV standards, per C2ES:

  • Maine
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • New Jersey
  • Oregon
  • New York
  • Connecticut

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