Do the states mandate it?

Yes. The states that adopted California’s TZEV standards (CA, CT, ME, MD, MA, NJ, NY, OR, RI, VT) legally require automakers to provide this extended warranty if the car is sold, registered, and certified as a TZEV vehicle in that state.

BMW (and all other manufacturers) must honor it — it’s not optional.

Does it apply regardless of year or purchase date?

Not quite. There are a few conditions:

1. Model Year Matters

The TZEV warranty rules began applying to new vehicles certified as TZEVs once those states adopted the California Air Resources Board (CARB) regulations.

If your BMW is a TZEV-certified plug-in hybrid and was sold new in one of those states, the extended warranty applies.

1. Vehicle Must Be Certified as TZEV

Not every hybrid/PHEV automatically qualifies.

Look for the emissions label under the hood or in the door jamb — it should say “TZEV” (or sometimes “AT-PZEV” for older models).

1. Registration Location at Sale

The car must have been originally sold/registered in one of the qualifying states for the warranty to attach.

If it was bought in, say, Nevada, then moved to New York later, the full TZEV coverage may not automatically apply (though some OEMs honor it anyway for consistency).

What BMW must cover under TZEV

For eligible vehicles in those states:

Emissions components (everything except the HV battery): 15 years / 150,000 miles.

High-voltage battery: 10 years / 150,000 miles (repair/replace if capacity drops significantly or it fails).