Search Federal and State Laws and Incentives

Alternative Fuel and Idle Reduction Grants

The North Carolina Department of Environment Quality (DEQ) provides grants to repower, replace, and convert eligible on- and off-road vehicles and equipment to alternative fuels and fuel-efficient technology. Equipment must be U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or California Air Resources Board verified. For more information, including a list of eligible technologies, see the DEQ Mobile Sources Emissions Reductions Grant website.

Alternative Fuel Vehicle (AFV) Acquisition Goal

North Carolina established a goal that at least 75% of new or replacement state government light-duty cars and trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating of 8,500 pounds or less must be AFVs or low emission vehicles. (Reference North Carolina General Statutes 143-215.107C)

Alternative Fuel Tax Exemption

The retail sale, use, storage, and consumption of alternative fuels is exempt from the state retail sales and use tax.

(Reference North Carolina General Statutes 105-164.13 and 105-449.130)

Alternative Fuel Vehicle (AFV), Idle Reduction Technologies, and Diesel Retrofits Funding

The Clean Fuel Advanced Technology (CFAT) project provides grant funding to reduce transportation-related emissions for areas in nonattainment with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. A project that is adjacent to these areas may also be eligible for funding if the project will reduce emissions in eligible counties. For more information, including current requests for proposals, see the CFAT website.

Electric Vehicle (EV) and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) Emissions Inspection Exemption

Qualified light-duty EVs and FCEVs are exempt from state emissions inspection requirements. Other restrictions may apply.

(Reference North Carolina General Statutes 20-4.01 and 20-183.2)

Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Support

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), in coordination with the Department of Environmental Quality, developed a ZEV Plan to guide ZEV adoption in North Carolina and increase the number of ZEVs in the state to at least 80,000 by 2025. The ZEV Plan provides guidelines for establishing state-wide vehicle corridors, installing charging stations and other infrastructure, and incorporating best practices for increasing ZEV adoption. For more information, including the current number of ZEV registrations, see the NCDOT Climate Change & Clean Energy: Plans & Progress website.

(Reference Executive Order 80, 2018)

Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Requirements

State-owned vehicle fleets must prioritize ZEVs in the purchase or lease of new vehicles and use ZEVs for agency travel when feasible. The Department of Administration (Department) developed the North Carolina Motor Fleet ZEV Plan (Plan). The Plan identifies the types of trips for which ZEV-use is feasible, recommends infrastructure necessary to support ZEV use, and develops ZEV procurement options and strategies. The Department provides information about each agency’s ZEV acquisitions and miles driven by vehicle type annually. For more information, see the Department’s Climate Change & Clean Energy: Plans & Progress website.

(Reference Executive Order 80, 2018)

Medium- and Heavy-Duty (MHD) Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Deployment Support

California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington (signatory states) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to support the deployment of medium- and heavy-duty (MHD) ZEVs through involvement in a Multi-State ZEV Task Force (Task Force).

In July 2022, the Task Force published a multi-state action plan to support electrification of MHD vehicles. The action plan includes strategies and recommendations to accomplish the goals of the MOU, including limiting all new MHD vehicle sales in the signatory states to ZEVs by 2050, accelerating the deployment of MHD ZEVs, and ensuring MHD ZEV deployment also benefits disadvantaged communities.

For more information, see the Medium- and Heavy-Duty ZEVs: Action Plan Development Process website.

Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Deployment and Emissions Reductions Goals

North Carolina established the following goals to reduce statewide greenhouse (GHG) emissions:

• GHG emissions must be at least 50% below 2005 levels by 2030;
• Achieve net-zero emissions by 2050;
• Register at least 1,250,000 ZEVs by 2030; and,
• Increase the share of new passenger vehicle sales to 50% ZEVs by 2030.

(Reference Executive Order 246, 2022)

Clean Transportation Plan

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (DOT) must develop and submit a state-wide Clean Transportation Plan (Plan) by April 7, 2023, to meet North Carolina’s emission reduction and zero emission vehicle (ZEV) goals. The Plan must recommend actionable strategies for decarbonizing the transportation sector by:

• Increasing ZEV availability, sales, and usage to levels beyond current market projections;
• Reducing statewide vehicle miles traveled;
• Investing in clean transportation infrastructure;
• Increasing equitable access to clean mobility options;
• Increasing availability of non-vehicle transportation modes; and,
• Transitioning registered vehicles to zero- and low-emission fuels.

The Plan must also include considerations for transitioning medium- and heavy-duty (MHD) vehicles to ZEVs, as directed by the state’s participation in the Multi-State MHD ZEV Memorandum of Understanding.

(Reference Executive Order 80, 2018, and Executive Order 246, 2022)