The California Energy Commission (CEC) will spend $2.9 billion to accelerate the state’s zero-emission transportation strategy. In an announcement spotted by Reuters, the agency detailed an investment plan it estimated would result in California building about 90,000 new chargers over the next four years, a move that would more than double the number of chargers available across the state.
About $900 million will go toward chargers designed for light-duty EVs, with another $1.7 billion earmarked for infrastructure that supports medium and heavy-duty zero-emissions vehicles, including those powered by hydrogen fuel cells. When you add in funding from utilities and other programs, the commission says it expects California to hit its goal of deploying 250,000 chargers by 2025.
“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,” said CEC Lead Commissioner for Transportation Patty Monahan. “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.”
Building enough charging infrastructure to support a growing number of EVs will be critical to California’s climate change plan. Earlier this year, the California Air Resources Board (CARB), following an order from Governor Gavin Newsom, said it would require all cars sold in the state by 2035 to be either fully electric or plug-in hybrids. More recently, the agency approved a $2.6 billion investment to incentivize consumers and companies to switch to electric vehicles.