The California Energy Commission (CEC) has made $55 million available for the further buildout of high-speed charging. The Fast Charge California Project will rebate up to 100 percent of the installation costs for EV fast chargers, as part of the California Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Project (CALeVIP). The program funds projects that are “shovel ready,” to speed development, according to Harrison Reilly, an information officer with the CEC media and public communications office.
“The California Energy Commission continues to analyze state needs to develop funding opportunities that help address all of California’s electric vehicle charging needs,” he said via email. “This includes ensuring equitable access throughout the state.”
Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) recently released its new guidance for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program, which received $5 billion in funding from the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The Federal Highway Administration paused NEVI in February to allow federal officials to issue new guidance “to align with current U.S. DOT policy and priorities,” according to a memo.
CALeVIP is being administered by the Center for Sustainable Energy, a national nonprofit focused on expanding clean transportation. This latest round of funding follows Golden State Priority Project 1, which has activated 179 charging ports with about a dozen more expected; and Golden State Priority Project 2, which provided $38 million in funding.
As of February, California, the nation’s largest electric car market, had some 178,500 public and shared private electric vehicle chargers, according to state data. This includes nearly 16,400 DC fast chargers.
California’s strategy to deploy more car charging parallels Biden administration policies, which sought to build out a network of 500,000 fast chargers nationwide as part of NEVI. USDOT recently released new guidance which removes requirements around the distance between chargers. Original NEVI rules required charging stations be 50 miles apart along major roadways like interstates.
“Our revised NEVI guidance slashes red tape and makes it easier for states to efficiently build out this infrastructure,” USDOT Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement. “While I don’t agree with subsidizing green energy, we will respect Congress' will and make sure this program uses federal resources efficiently.” The guidance release — which gets the NEVI program back on track — has been welcomed by industry watchers.
"We are excited to see this critical program back in motion,” Cat Plein, development and communications director at Forth Mobility, an Oregon-based EV policy and advocacy group, said, adding that even though the federal government relaxed rules related to equity, resiliency or emergency preparedness, states are still free to include these in their own transportation planning policies.
“We urge states that have invested in thoughtful planning to stick with it and make those priorities central to their charging investments,” Plein said via email.
Relaxing the 50-mile distance requirement between charging stations, Plein said, “could bring useful flexibility, especially in rural regions, but we hope states honor their current charging commitments and keep delivering for the communities they serve.”
“We are particularly encouraged to see the new, simple process for states to declare their fast-charging corridors complete,” she said. “This will free up funds for more community-based charging — something many states can and should act on quickly.”
Albert Gore, executive director of the Zero Emission Transportation Association, said he welcomed the regulatory certainty, and the green light it offers for the further development of charging infrastructure.
“NEVI was designed for states to distribute funding based on their specific needs. Finalizing the guidance ensures that this important work will continue,” Gore said in a statement.
Regardless of actions taken by Washington, Reilly said California is poised for a green transportation future. CALeVIP’s Fast Charge California Project, which is state-funded, is “one of many funding mechanisms that the Energy Commission utilizes to deploy EV chargers,” he said. “California prides itself as one of the country’s leaders in clean energy and will continue its leadership role into the future, working with the private market to ensure the economic and jobs benefits of EVs and infrastructure.”
A full 87 NEVI-funded sites are now open, according to the EV States Clearinghouse database dashboard. Those projects only account for $45.8 million, according to the dashboard, leaving the bulk of its nearly $5 billion in funding still to be distributed and spent. The latest round of California funding from the CEC will be available for charging locations statewide.
“We’ve tailored it a bit so that it’s sort of market-driven,” Evan Wright, director of electric vehicle infrastructure and operations at the Center for Sustainable Energy, said. “We do still prioritize disadvantaged communities, low-income communities, and tribal applications. However, that’s not a requirement anymore.”
To qualify for the $55,000 per-port rebates, chargers must deliver at least 150 kilowatts of power per plug. Chargers delivering 275 kilowatts of power or more qualify for a $100,000 rebate per port. Chargers must also meet Energy Star requirements, be operational for at least six years, and provide charging utilization data for six years, giving planners data related to how often they are used, and how this has changed over time.
“That’s important for us to inform the design of future projects and programs,” Wright said. “We want to see how much these chargers are being utilized, and are installers installing equipment that is operational, giving the uptime requirements.”
