A few months ago, Gabriel Lua purchased a 2013 Chevy Volt to replace his 1987Honda Civic, which had been giving him exhaust headaches and made him worry about the health of his children, ages 3 and 5.
Even though the old Civic had failed the state’s smog test three times and was costing him hundreds of dollars a month in maintenance, Lua said he couldn’t afford to replace it until he learned about a state incentive that helps low-income residents in California’s most polluted communities replace their dirty cars. The state covered more than half the new car’s price tag.
“It saves me gas. It saves me money. I feel safer. And most important, it’s for my kids,” said Lua, a 31-year-old mail carrier for a San Joaquin Valley school district.
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