California doubling EV chargers across the state with $3 billion

California Construction News staff writer

California has approved a $3 billion funding plan for 90,000 new electric vehicle chargers in the state, accelerating the state’s transition to clean transportation.

The California Energy Commission (CEC) today approved a record $2.9 billion clean transportation investment plan – a 30x increase in funding from 2019 levels. The funding will double the state’s charging network from 80,000 publicly available chargers to 170,000, keeping the state on track to achieve its goal of 250,000 chargers installed by 2025.

“California is bringing our roads and highways into the 21st Century with electric vehicle chargers in every community, in every corner of our state,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “We are transforming transportation in California and scaling climate action in ways only California can – with jobs, innovation and health at the heart of our efforts.”

The funds support the deployment of thousands of zero-emission trucks, school buses and transit buses to deliver clean air benefits and good paying jobs to neighborhoods across the state, and especially to communities hit hardest by the impacts of pollution from trucks and buses. At least half of the funding will benefit low-income and historically disadvantaged communities on the front lines of the climate crisis.

California surpassed one million ZEV sales in 2021 and leads the country in all ZEV market metrics including the highest level of public funding, the largest EV market share percentage of nearly 18%, and the most extensive public charging infrastructure.