EV License Plates for California

jamieb · Jul 2, 2014

Just informational, I have a friend who works high in DMV administration here in Sacramento. We were discussing how ugly the HOV stickers were and I asked why aren't there EV-specific license plates. I pointed out that EV-specific license plates could even produce a recurring revenue stream with an annual surcharge on renewals like they already do for vanity plates.

He told me that this is indeed on the Cal DMV's radar screen and that they'd like to do this, but that 1) they're in the middle of figuring out how to implement drivers licenses for undocumented California residents and harmonizing these new licenses with national standards and that this is occupying most of their attention right now, and 2) that EV-specific license plates will require a legislative change.

So... if any of you out there are friends with someone in the State Legislature, you might want to encourage them to talk to the DMV and sponsor a bill to have EV-specific license plates. Based on my conversation I think it will happen, but will probably take a year or two...

J

AEdennis · Jul 2, 2014

I would support an "either" sticker or plate modification to identifying EVs. I would hate to have to go back and get a replacement plate for cars that already have the stickers.

Besides there are a lot of other choices for the actual plate in California for folks that prefer those AND drive an EV.

NoMoGas · Jul 2, 2014

Any and all EV owners could send a letter in to their legislator... Not a petition, letter. If you have a business, send it in on letterhead. As a former staffer for the Senate, i can tell you it works..

AEdennis · Jul 2, 2014

NoMoGas said:
Any and all EV owners could send a letter in to their legislator... Not a petition, letter. If you have a business, send it in on letterhead. As a former staffer for the Senate, i can tell you it works..

Does filling out the feedback from the Legislature's website work the same way?

I've received a response from one I filled out for my Assemblyperson, but not my State Senator.

mknox · Jul 2, 2014

FWIW, here is what the EV plates look like in Ontario, Canada vs. regular plates (neither are mine... they are just Google image searches). I prefer this for HOV access etc. over separate stickers.

AEdennis · Jul 2, 2014

mknox said:
FWIW, here is what the EV plates look like in Ontario, Canada vs. regular plates (neither are mine... they are just Google image searches). I prefer this for HOV access etc. over separate stickers.

View attachment 52895
View attachment 52896

As I mentioned earlier, I would like to give the EV driver a choice of either stickers or EV plates... California has a lot of really cool choices for plate styles and don't mind complying with sticking a sticker on the car.

mknox · Jul 3, 2014

AEdennis said:
As I mentioned earlier, I would like to give the EV driver a choice of either stickers or EV plates... California has a lot of really cool choices for plate styles and don't mind complying with sticking a sticker on the car.

Good point. Ontario also has custom plates and you can't get vanity lettering on the "Green Vehicle" plates either. Neither of those things interests me, but if they did, then stickers would have to be the way to go here too.

ZBB · Jul 3, 2014

FWIW, AZ has an "Alternate Fuel" plate that EVs can get. There's also a sticker if you want HOV access without the Alt Fuel plate...

I've seen only 1 sticker ever -- happened to be last week on a Leaf...

iffatall · Jul 17, 2014

I thought CA DMV did not want to use plates because the HOV access was a 'temporary' allowance.

markb1 · Jul 17, 2014

iffatall said:
I thought CA DMV did not want to use plates because the HOV access was a 'temporary' allowance.

I don't see how it matters. When the program expires, the CHP can just start treating it as a normal plate. It's not like everyone is going to suddenly remove their stickers, either.

miimura · Jul 17, 2014

I think the proliferation of sticker colors is easier to deal with than a proliferation of different license plates.

flashflood · Jul 17, 2014

For CA plates there's an easier solution than new plates: green month stickers. The CA plate has two stickers for registration purposes: on the top left, a white month-specific sticker ("MAY" on white); and on the top right, a colored year sticker ("2014" on yellow, "2015" on blue, etc). The year-specific color makes it easy to spot cars more than a year out of registration. (Within the same year, you have to get close enough to read the month sticker; at any given time, there are always two valid year colors.) Since the month sticker is currently always white, instead of issuing those ugly HOV stickers, they could issue a new green month sticker ("MAY" on green). Simple, cheap, and doesn't harm the car.

liuping · Jul 17, 2014

flashflood said:
For CA plates there's an easier solution than new plates: green month stickers. The CA plate has two stickers for registration purposes: on the top left, a white month-specific sticker ("MAY" on white); and on the top right, a colored year sticker ("2014" on yellow, "2015" on blue, etc). The year-specific color makes it easy to spot cars more than a year out of registration. (Within the same year, you have to get close enough to read the month sticker; at any given time, there are always two valid year colors.) Since the month sticker is currently always white, instead of issuing those ugly HOV stickers, they could issue a new green month sticker ("MAY" on green). Simple, cheap, and doesn't harm the car.

I think the idea was the stickers should be visible from a long ways away. The originally the stickers had to be in front, both sides and the back of the vehicle ;(

Now at least it's just the sides and back. A small month sticker on the plate will probably not be visible from the side of the road, etc.

I'd love an EV/HOV plate though. I'd even consider putting the front plate on if needed if I could get rid of the ugly HOV stickers.
..

iffatall · Jul 18, 2014

markb1 said:
I don't see how it matters. When the program expires, the CHP can just start treating it as a normal plate. It's not like everyone is going to suddenly remove their stickers, either.

True

liuping said:
... I'd love an EV/HOV plate though. I'd even consider putting the front plate on if needed if I could get rid of the ugly HOV stickers.
..

Absolutely... me too.

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EV License Plates for California

jamieb

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AEdennis

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NoMoGas

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mknox

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ZBB

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iffatall

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