One of the main obstacles to adopting electric vehicles is the lack of charging infrastructure. The California government aims to address this gap by investing $2.9 billion, as per InsideEVs.
Purpose
The enormous investment approved by the California Energy Commission (CEC) on December 14 aims to install additional 90,000 chargers to the current 80,000 chargers in the state.
Essentially, it will aid California’s target of 250,000 electric vehicle chargers by 2025.
Breakdown of the investment for charging infrastructures
| Project | Allocation |
| Medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles charging infrastructure | $1.7 billion |
| Light-duty vehicles charging infrastructure | $900 million |
| ZEV manufacturing | $118 million |
| Hydrogen refueling infrastructure | $90 million |
It is worth noting that the latest CEC’s Clean Transportation Program has 30 times more funding than in 2019. The California government provided an extra $2.4 billion from the latest state budget. At least half of that fund will be directed toward aiding priority populations over the following four years.
“This transformative investment will deploy charging and refueling infrastructure swiftly and equitably to make sure drivers of zero-emission cars and trucks feel confident they can refuel wherever they go. The plan will increase access to charging and hydrogen fueling for individuals, businesses and public agencies, while supporting our emerging manufacturing ecosystem and creating jobs.”
CEC’s Lead Commissioner for Transportation, Patty Monahan
California’s target
California government aims for all new vehicles sold to be BEVs or PHEVs by 2035. In order to achieve this, the state has approved numerous investments that could further boost electric vehicle uptake.
In fact, Governor Gavin Newsom has allocated $54 billion for its California Climate Commitment.
In October, the CEC permitted a complementary proposal for clean transportation subsidies for $2.6 billion under Gov. Newsom’s $54 billion program. As per the report, it comprises investments in heavy-duty and off-road equipment and consumer vehicle incentives.
It would only be appropriate for the California government to further support the EV uptake as its expanding ZEV sector continues to lead the nation. Notably, a sufficient infrastructure for charging would let many citizens make the switch without hesitation.
