California Mandates Progress on Electric Mobility

< Back
September 30, 2020
June 30, 2023
9:30 pm
2:35 pm
News
Electric Car Charging
Electric Vehicles

California Mandates Progress on Electric Mobility

Last week, governor Gavin Newsom made major headlines when he announced through executive order that California will prohibit the sale of new gas-powered cars and trucks starting in 2035 – just 15 years away. Additional regulations will call for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles to be carbon-neutral by 2045. For those of us who have been decrying the slow transition from pollutant-emitting internal combustion engines to more efficient ones powered by zero-emission lithium-ion batteries, it was welcomed news.

California is by far the largest vehicle market in the country, meaning such a mandate will effectively force auto manufacturers to start reshaping the future of vehicle production now. Moreover, the Golden State is already home to more EV’s than any other, making it a natural catalyst to spur such a change. According to Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury News (see here: https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/09/23/newsom-bans-sale-of-all-new-gasoline-powered-cars-starting-in-2035/), these new rules “mark the beginning of the end of the internal combustion engine in California.”

So, what does this all mean for EVCS? Well, Rogers’ piece also notes concerns from people like Brian Maas, president of the California New Car Dealers Association, who rightfully questions whether the requisite infrastructure (i.e., charging stations) will be present, as the order essentially directs all new vehicles to be either battery electric or hydrogen fuel cell. We see this as an opportunity. Our mission has always been to address the dearth of charging options across California and beyond, and Newsom’s mandate focuses everyone’s attention on how to make it possible – from governments that can offer rebates and incentives to businesses that can install or host chargers to drivers who can start assessing their future mobility needs.

It’s true that several obstacles may still stand in the way of this electric dream becoming a reality. The constitutionality of the mandates, which were not passed through normal legislative processes, could come under federal scrutiny, particularly if Donald Trump is reelected in November. In addition, many have questioned whether the state’s struggling electrical grid, which resulted in rolling brown-outs earlier this year, can sustain the power required to fuel a transportation revolution of such magnitude.

The concerns are genuine, but may be ill-founded considering we have a decade and a half to prepare – not an unreasonable timeline if we get our collective butts in gear. The idea behind such a mandate is to incentivize private industry to build the sort of infrastructure that will power all of these new autos – simultaneously creating new categories of jobs, shoring up the grid, manufacturing more energy-efficient vehicles and cleaning up California’s poor air quality. As for concerns with legality, our hope is that the momentum generated by Newsom’s edict will last, even if the mandate doesn’t, leading to an appreciable increase in EV infrastructure and manufacturing.

Either way, EVCS is well-positioned to take advantage of California’s push to mandate more EV’s. We have access to numerous funding sources that will facilitate new charging infrastructure across the state, allowing site hosts to profit from additional revenue streams without shouldering any of the costs. We employ countless electrical and civil engineers to perform the actual installations. We have already invested heavily in state-of-the-art networking software that allows for more efficient management of such infrastructure. And we have already begun upgrading the Oregon/Washington segments of the West Coast Electric Highway, reinforcing our commitment to advancing electric mobility outside California while establishing a model the state could follow.

In short, we want to make this new mandate a rallying cry for all those who share our mission. It’s a true leadership moment. And we plan to answer the call by carving new electric highways all across the state so that when 2035 comes, a new generation of EV drivers will already be out and about.

Follow developments about the mandate on the governor’s official website here: https://www.gov.ca.gov/2020/09/23/governor-newsom-announces-california-will-phase-out-gasoline-powered-cars-drastically-reduce-demand-for-fossil-fuel-in-californias-fight-against-climate-change/

Back
29
Sep
/
23
2
October
/
23
Electric Vehicles
Electric Car Charging

Plugged In With Tritium: Supercharging the West Coast With EVCS

With Karim Farhat, Chief Commercial Officer, EVCS Tritium is proud to feature our partner EVCS, one of the largest public EV charging networks on the US West Coast. Tritium supplies direct current (DC) fast chargers for the growing charging network. EVCS and Tritium are working together to help more people drive electric.

READ MORE
31
May
/
23
30
June
/
23
Press
Press Release
News

EVCS Awarded $1.9M from the California Energy Commission to install 30 EV Fast Chargers in Northern and Central California

‍LOS ANGELES – May 31, 2023 -- EVCS, one of the largest electric vehicle (EV) fast-charging network operators on the West Coast, announced today that it has been awarded $1.9 million from the California Energy Commission (CEC) Rural Electric Vehicle (REV) program. The funds will support the installation of 30 DC fast chargers and 8 Level 2 chargers in Northern and Central California, with the aim of expanding EV infrastructure access to rural, low-income, and disadvantaged communities.

READ MORE
22
Apr
/
23
30
June
/
23
Electric Car Charging
Electric Vehicles
News

Happy Earth Day!

We are proud to join in on the celebration by sharing our vision and progress toward accelerating the transition to clean, carbon-free transportation. 

READ MORE
23
Mar
/
23
30
June
/
23
Electric Vehicles

7 Reasons Why EVs Are Not Going Away

Mountains of evidence show a seismic shift toward an electric future. BEVs, HEVs and PHEVs outsold gasoline vehicles in Europe during Q4 last year, with America poised to follow suit as sales volumes topped 800,000 in 2022 (a 65% increase over 2021). In a recent interview with The Verge, VW CEO Herbert Diess said it best: “The world is changing. It is transforming into an electric automotive world.” And who would know better than head of one of the world’s preeminent carmakers? But if that’s still not enough for you, consider these reasons.

READ MORE
23
Feb
/
23
30
June
/
23
Electric Car Charging
Electric Vehicles

Installation of the Month (February 2023): City of Los Angeles Lot 715

As our network continues to expand, we’ve consistently maintained three key focuses: 1) Accessibility; 2) Affordability; and 3) Sustainability. These attributes are the cornerstone of everything we do, and our newest installation near the heavily trafficked intersection of West Pico Boulevard and Overland Avenue in Rancho Park helps us accomplish all of them.

READ MORE