Currently, California residents who purchase plug-in electric vehicles can receive up to $2,500, depending on the type of electric vehicle, with all-electrics receiving the maximum rebate. However, the Air Resources Board is proposing a change.
The California Air Resources Board (CARB or ARB) plan doesn't specify Teslas. Rather, it calls for exemping all electric vehicles (EVs) costing over $60,000. A quick perusal of the 30 EV models indicates that only the two Tesla models and the new Cadilac 2014 ELR meet that category.
The vehicle need not be all-electric (zero-emissions vehicle or ZEV) to receive a rebate courtesy of California vehicle and vessel "fee" payers (see new EV legislation), though only ZEVs receive the full $2,500 rebate. It includes plug-in hybrid electric vehices (PHEVs) which receive $1,500; neighborhood electric vehicles (NEVs) which get $900, and zero emission motorcycles (ZEMs), also $900. For definitions, see FAQ.
Note: Fuel Cell Vehicles (FCV) are zero-emissions and considered electric vehicles even though they don't have a plug. A Honda and a Hyundai are listed on the Eligible Electric Vehicle list.
"The plan, proposed by the staff of the Air Resources Board, stems partly from tight funding and partly from an effort to help rebates get into the hands of buyers in disadvantaged communities who live in areas with bad air quality or who can’t afford high-end electric cars such as Tesla, which serves an affluent market," writes John Howard, editor of Capitol Weekly. Details of the proposal are available on this 44-page discussion document [PDF].
As incentive programs go, California's Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, as well as the Federal Tax Credit up to $7,500, are straight-forward, unlike distortionary incentives. While Severin Borenstein, director of the UC Berkeley Energy Institute at the Haas School of Business, does not list them as bad incentives, he doesn't state that they are good ones either.
His preferred incentive is to price carbon emissions or increase fuel taxes, thus awarding zero-emissions vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and neighborhood electric vehicles an inherent price advantage over vehicles that burn gasoline and diesel fuel.
Tesla is fighting the proposed change to the program.
FULL STORY: ARB, Tesla at odds over rebate cuts for electric vehicles

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.

Can We Please Give Communities the Design They Deserve?
Often an afterthought, graphic design impacts everything from how we navigate a city to how we feel about it. One designer argues: the people deserve better.

Judge Halts Brooklyn Bike Lane Removal
Lawyers must prove the city was not acting “arbitrarily, capriciously, and illegally” in ordering the hasty removal.

Engineers Gave America's Roads an Almost Failing Grade — Why Aren't We Fixing Them?
With over a trillion dollars spent on roads that are still falling apart, advocates propose a new “fix it first” framework.

The European Cities That Love E-Scooters — And Those That Don’t
Where they're working, where they're banned, and where they're just as annoying the tourists that use them.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Borough of Carlisle
Smith Gee Studio
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)