ZEV Credits

Automakers earn credits by selling zero emission (ZEV) cars and trucks. The credit per vehicle varies with drivetrain type and electric range. From 2018 onwards, plug-in hybrids, which only partially drive on electricity receive between 0.4 and 1.3 credits per vehicle sold. Battery electric and fuel cell vehicles receive between 1 and 4 credits, based on range.

LEED Points

Buildings can get one LEED point for green vehicles by accomplishing two requirements. The first is the preferred parking requirement: 5 percent of all parking spaces should be reserved for green vehicles only. These spaces should be evenly dispersed among various sections of the parking lot, such as having half in short-term parking and half in long-term parking. Alternatively, projects can choose to offer a 20 percent parking discount to green vehicles in lieu of dedicating 5 percent of spaces to them. Information about the discount should be easily seen and consistently available.

For the parking spaces equipped with EVSE to qualify for the green vehicle point, the charging station must provide a Level 2 charging capacity or greater. That means it must have a minimum capacity of 208 volts. Additionally, the equipment must be connected so it's able to participate in a demand-response program. This should encourage people to charge their vehicles during off-peak hours, which will lower the price of charging. Finally, the EVSE must comply with any relevant local or regional standards for electrical connectors - SAE J1772 for example.