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California’s Rural Areas Risk Being Left Out in EV Push

As EVs multiply at an ever-faster rate, a reliable supply of public charging stations will be necessary to reach destinations, as well as maintain and grow tourism and allow public access to outdoor recreation areas.

Lone,Pine,California
Lone Pine, Calif.
Shutterstock/RandomHartz
(TNS) — With climate change concerns and gas prices at an all-time high, the momentum to transition to zero emission vehicles is growing nationwide, and California and the federal government have made considerable investments to boost adoption. But concerns remain, including hesitant consumers wary of “range anxiety,” the fear of being stranded without the ability to recharge, or in some cases not having access to charging capacity at their apartment complex or work.

To alleviate this distress and make electric vehicles a viable alternative, greater equity and investment in rural infrastructure are essential. Now is the time to invest in readiness plans for rural communities to ensure they have the strategies to upgrade electrical infrastructure and deploy chargers where they are needed for the next generation of cars and trucks.

California is already leading the charge in electric vehicle adoption. In July 2020, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order setting ambitious targets to have 100% of new passenger car and truck sales as EVs by 2035, and 100% of new medium and heavy-duty truck sales by 2045.

Unfortunately, rural communities have been left behind and are not positioned to support this growth. Of the more than 79,000 electric vehicle chargers installed, approximately 5,837 (around 7.4%) are in rural counties. Only 1,394 of those are DC fast chargers that can charge a vehicle in under an hour and are capable of meeting the needs of the millions of people who visit California each year.

The installation of EV infrastructure in rural areas is a significant piece of the puzzle in reaching the state’s targets and transforming the transportation sector. Rural counties in California have unique landscapes, terrain and geography that account for approximately 60% of the landmass and 14% of the state population. While sparse, these areas are sought-after destinations and home to national parks, wildlife areas, lakes, trails, campgrounds, fairs and more.

As EVs multiply at an ever-faster rate, a reliable supply of public charging stations will be necessary to reach our destinations, as well as maintain and grow tourism and allow public access to outdoor recreation areas, which is a vital source of income for rural communities.

Beyond sustainable economic development opportunities, rural areas will also need EV infrastructure to support the unique needs of residents and its workforce, which are largely dependent on driving and have to travel long distances to access goods and services. Residents without at-home charging capabilities or access to public charging stations will be disproportionately limited in their purchasing power as more zero-emission models enter the market.

In the small rural town of Esparto in Yolo County, multi-family affordable housing was recently built to support 40 families, with additional facilities to be built in the near future. These individuals will be left behind if the nearby infrastructure is not installed. And with an increasing number of used electric cars, these members of our community will likewise be locked out of affordable vehicle replacement options, if charging infrastructure is not developed for existing apartments and other multi-family housing complexes.

Rural jurisdictions are significantly under-resourced and need greater support and technical assistance to develop and leverage successful infrastructure investments. Right now, these resources are disproportionately favoring wealthier, more urbanized areas.

The federal, bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 specifically recognized the need to fill gaps in rural and disadvantaged communities, a persistent problem also true of broadband access and energy reliability. To remain a leader, California needs to solve its critical infrastructure gaps and better prioritize rural communities.

©2022 The Sacramento Bee, Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.