r/climateskeptics • u/Dubrovski • 7h ago
Over $1 billion spent, few miles driven: How California’s flagship clean transit initiative was hit by accusations of fraud and waste
LA Times investigated California's $1B+ electric truck and bus subsidy program and found serious oversight problems:
- 64% of vehicles lacked required mileage reports.
- 80% of EV/hydrogen vehicles with available records fell short of state mileage benchmarks.
- Some subsidized vehicles barely ran or sat unused.
- About 25% of participating manufacturers stopped production or exited the market.
- Authorities are investigating allegations of fraud and duplicate subsidy claims.
California claims the program reduced emissions, but incomplete data makes those claims difficult to verify.
**Bottom line:** Taxpayers spent over $1 billion, but the state often can't prove the vehicles are actually being used or delivering the promised environmental benefits.
[LA Times article](https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2026-10-18/accusations-of-fraud-waste-roil-california-ev-truck-bus-subsidy-program)
