California continues to expand its electric vehicle charging network to combat one of the most common issues impeding the wider uptake: range anxiety.
In a significant advancement, Tesla’s enormous and reliable Supercharger network has opened to non-Tesla EVs in California.
Governor announces the good news
California Governor Gavin Newsom stopped by a Tesla Supercharger during Earth Week to share the state’s ongoing push to expand the charging network.
Governor Newsom announced on social media platform X that the prevalent Tesla Supercharger network in the state will support more electric vehicle models from other brands.
“Today, we are announcing that Tesla is opening its charging network to additional models of electric vehicles. This is all in an effort to build out the infrastructure in the state of California.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom
For context, the Supercharger network was originally exclusive to Tesla car owners only. Now, California has 105 public electric vehicle chargers. Of that total, Tesla Superchargers account for approximately 10,000 units.
EV charging expansion push
As per the California Governor’s announcement, the opening of the Tesla Supercharger network to non-Tesla EVs is under a broader push to entice people to join the shift to electric vehicles.
In 2020, Governor Newsom officially inked an executive order to ban new gas-powered car and truck sales by 2035. His administration believes this move would help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over a third.
Moreover, California also recently announced a $1.9 billion plan to build a more extensive, better charging network for electric vehicles. It is expected to accelerate the deployment of 40,000 new public chargers in the state.
California’s intensified efforts in expanding the statewide charging network seem to deliver good results. According to Governor Newsom’s office, the state now has one EV fast charging station for every five gas stations.
Recent milestones
The California government’s electric vehicle push has played a significant role in the ongoing rapid adoption of clean mobility. According to the California Energy Commission (CEC), zero-emission electric vehicles accounted for 25% of new car sales in the state. To date, ZEV registrations have already reached a total of 1,846,874 units.
It is also worth noting that California accounts for 34% of new ZEV sales in the US, as per Veloz EV Market Report.
All these milestones enable California to rank 4th in electric vehicle sales behind China, the US, and Germany if it were only a country.
