LIGHT DUTY ZERO EMISSION VEHICLE PURCHASING MANDATE - 4121
Legal Authority
Health and Safety Code section 38562.4
Definitions
Field Employee: An employee whose official duties include substantial field work (greater than 50 percent) outside a central work location.
Fleet Acquisition Plan: Defined in SAM 4120.
Light-Duty Vehicle: A vehicle or mobile equipment with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of 8,500 pounds or less. For this policy, ½-ton pickups are considered light-duty irrespective of their GVWR.
Mobile Office: For this policy, a mobile office is a state vehicle consistently used as a primary field workspace. This designation applies only when the vehicle is essential for regularly completing official documentation, securely accessing digital systems, or performing other critical tasks that cannot reasonably occur elsewhere. The classification of a vehicle as a mobile office must be supported by operational necessity, not incidental or occasional use.
Public Safety Special Performance: Vehicles that have special performance requirements necessary for the protection of public safety and welfare, as defined in SAM 4121.4.
Zero-Emission Vehicle: A vehicle that produces no tailpipe emissions or other pollutants during operation. Battery Electric Vehicles and Fuel Cell Vehicles are considered pure ZEVs, whereas plug-in hybrid electric vehicles are regarded as transitional ZEVs.
Policy
In support of the state’s sustainability initiatives, such as Executive Order N-79-20 and the ZEV Pledge for the Public Fleets, state agencies (agencies) shall continue to incorporate more Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEVs) in their fleets.
In alignment with the state’s goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from state agency operations by 2035, as outlined in Health and Safety Code section 38562.4, agencies must ensure that beginning Fiscal Year 2026/27, at least 60 percent of their Light-Duty (LD) fleet acquisitions are ZEVs. This requirement shall increase by 10 percent annually until it reaches 100 percent by fiscal year 2030-31.
The table below outlines annual requirements.
*Purchasing requirement for FY 25-26 remains at 50 percent.
Each ZEV acquired by a state agency earns ZEV credits that count toward the agency’s purchasing requirement. For details on ZEV credit ratios by ZEV type, refer to the SAM 4121.3.
Exemptions:
PSSP Assets:
Under EO B-16-12 and SAM 4121.4, vehicles with special performance requirements necessary for public safety and welfare (PSSP vehicles) may qualify for exemption from this mandate. To request a PSSP exemption, agencies must submit an accurate and complete OFAM 163 – PSSP Exemption Request form along with their Fleet Acquisition Plans (FAPs).
Field Operation Assets – Beginning fiscal year 2026-27:
Assets assigned to field employees may be exempt if they meet one of the following criteria:
- The vehicle is used as a cooling station in compliance with California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Cal/OSHA) Title 8, Section 3395.
- The vehicle functions as a mobile office, and the field employee is assigned to or frequently travels to areas with limited or no access to charging stations.
- The vehicle must idle or power auxiliary equipment to perform job duties, and a ZEV’s battery capacity is insufficient to meet this need.
- The vehicle is assigned to an employee required by their duty statement to be on call 24/7 for rapid deployment as needed.
To request a field operation exemption, agencies must submit a detailed justification that clearly demonstrates how the asset meets the criteria referenced above. This justification must include an evaluation of ZEVs available on the state vehicle contract and explain why none can meet the agency’s operational needs. Agencies are required to include supporting documentation, such as telematics reports, trip logs, area maps, classification duty statements, and vehicle specification charts.
Responsibilities
OFAM:
- Review agency FAPs to ensure they meet the annual ZEV purchasing requirement.
- Monitor progress of the state fleet ZEV adoption to ensure that the state is moving towards its sustainability goals.
Agency:
- Ensure FAPs comply with this policy. Asset acquisition requests that do not comply with policy requirements will not be approved.
Resources
Fleet policy questions:
FleetPolicy@dgs.ca.gov
FAP questions:
FAMSSupport@dgs.ca.gov