Energy Commission Helping to Expand Fast Charging Network in Southern California
A new electric vehicle charging station installed in Calabasas is helping expand the fast charging network along major freeways in Southern California.
Calabasas city officials marked the milestone at a ribbon-cutting ceremony in early August with representatives from the California Energy Commission and the South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD). The charging station at City Hall is open for public use.
“The installation of this station is a great step forward in the City’s ongoing goal of encouraging Calabasas residents and businesses to use alternate sources of energy,” said Calabasas City Manager Tony Coroalles.
It is the first of seven fast chargers, which allow vehicles to fully charge in 20 to 30 minutes that the South Coast AQMD is installing as part of a project funded through the Energy Commission. The project will extend the existing fast charging corridor in Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties. Project partners include Clean Fuel Connection and eVgo.
The South Coast AQMD received $500,000 in grant funds from the Energy Commission’s Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program (ARFVTP). The program, which provides up to $100 million annually, is helping to transition the state from vehicles that operate on fossil fuels to ones that run on alternative energy, such as electricity.
Under the ARFVTP 2016-17 Investment Plan Update, $17 million will be invested in electric charging infrastructure. To increase adoption, publicly accessible charging stations are important to extend the range and improve the convenience of plug-in electric vehicles. A complete charging network will require fast chargers, which can enable long-distance travel by battery electric vehicles when located along major interregional corridors.
California is committed to providing an infrastructure that will encourage motorists to switch from polluting fossil fuel vehicles to ones that do not pollute, keep the air healthier and reduce greenhouse gas emissions that heat the earth to unsustainable levels.
The state’s transportation system is responsible for 37 percent of California’s greenhouse gases, which is why Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. has set a goal of getting 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles on California roads by 2025.
Find out where electric vehicle charging stations are located here.
