Clean Mobility

Scrap & Replace

Income-qualified drivers can trade in an older, high-polluting vehicle for an electric vehicle or another zero-emission alternative.

Northern & Southern Califonia

Northern California

Man in cap and sunglasses standing in front of electric vehicle with arms spread wide, smiling at camera in residential neighborhood

  • Bay Area, Sacramento, San Diego

    Location

  • 8,673

    # People Served

  • CARB Clean Cars 4 All Program

    Funding Source

Scrap & Replace is one of GRID Alternatives’ clean mobility programs, helping income-qualified drivers trade in an older, high-polluting vehicle for an electric vehicle or another zero-emission alternative, such as an e-bike or transit voucher. The program is funded through the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) Clean Cars 4 All program, and GRID partners with regional air quality agencies to deliver it locally — including the Bay Area Air District and the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District.

Eligible residents can retire their older vehicle and replace it with a plug-in hybrid, battery electric vehicle, zero-emission motorcycle, or the “Mobility Option” which offers money for purchase of e-bikes and accessories and/or public transit, with grants worth up to $12,000. GRID Alternatives walks applicants through the process step-by-step and helps them identify the best clean transportation option for their situation. Grants are sent directly to partner car dealerships to reduce the price at the point of purchase, rather than requiring drivers to wait on an after-purchase rebate. 

Transportation is California’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, and low-income families nationally spend tens of billions of dollars a year on gasoline. Communities of color are also disproportionately affected by pollution from both gasoline consumption and production. By helping income-qualified drivers move to cleaner transportation options, Scrap & Replace ties directly into GRID’s broader mission of pairing clean energy access with cost savings and cleaner air in the communities most affected by pollution.

  • I am so happy with this car and so thankful for the program that afforded me the way to get it. And [the] timing was perfect. The Ford was falling apart and the [Iran] war started raising gas to over $5 a gallon!

    Jack DeRosa

    Grant Recipient of Clean Cars for All

GRID’s Role in This Program

  • Marketing, Education & Outreach (ME&O)

    GRID provides multilingual outreach and education through marketing, events, workshops, and local partnerships to spread the word about the benefits of clean transportation and available programs.

  • Program Administration & Case Management

    GRID walks income-qualified applicants step-by-step through the Scrap & Replace application process and helps them identify the best clean transportation option for their situation.

  • Partnership & Funding Coordination

    GRID partners with regional air quality agencies and CARB's Clean Cars 4 All program to bring grant funding directly to income-qualified drivers, coordinating with partner dealerships to apply grants at the point of purchase.