Car Allowance Rebate System
US federal incentives program for consumer fuel efficiency boosts / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS), colloquially known as "cash for clunkers", was a $3 billion U.S. federal scrappage program intended to provide economic incentives to U.S. residents to purchase a new, more fuel-efficient vehicle when trading in a less fuel-efficient vehicle. The program was promoted as a post-recession stimulus program to boost auto sales while putting more fuel-efficient vehicles on the roadways.
The program officially started on July 1, 2009, the processing of claims began July 24,[2] and the program ended on August 24, 2009, as the appropriated funds were exhausted, having scrapped 677,081 vehicles.[3][4] The deadline for dealers to submit applications was August 25.[5] According to estimates of the Department of Transportation, the initial $1 billion appropriated for the system was exhausted by July 30, 2009, well before the anticipated end date of November 1, 2009, due to very high demand.[6][7][8] In response, Congress approved an additional $2 billion.[6][7][9][10]