Brown Administration Announces Updated Actions To Accelerate Zero-Emission Vehicle Adoption, Reduce Carbon Emissions

Brown administration today announced an ambitious new effort to get high-polluting cars off the road by increasing zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) purchases.
Published on October 11, 2016
in Vehicles , Green , Fleet , Environmental , Energy , Sustainability

As part of a 10-year plan to reduce carbon emissions at the state level, the Brown administration today announced an ambitious new effort to get high-polluting cars off the road by increasing zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) purchases and ramping up efforts to install charging infrastructure at state facilities. 

The new initiatives announced today include:

  • Upping state government’s ZEV purchases (for light duty replacement vehicles in the state fleet) to 50 percent by 2025. This would add approximately 1,500 new ZEVs to the state fleet.
  • Expanding the state’s vehicle charging station infrastructure to at least 5 percent of workplace parking spaces at state facilities. This will add approximately 4,500 new charging stations.

“This action strengthens California’s position as a national leader in zero-emission vehicles,” said Daniel C. Kim, Director of the Department of General Services. “I’m proud that state government is taking action now to protect the future.”

These new goals were announced as part of the 2016 ZEV Action Plan. This action plan is the product of an interagency working group led by the Governor’s Office and extensive input from stakeholders.

“By working together across state government and with the private sector, we can ensure that electric vehicle drivers have access to charging stations at home, at their workplaces, and on the road – creating a new way of thinking about transportation that will drive California forward,” said Evan Speer, Chief of the DGS Office of Fleet and Asset Management.

Today’s announcements follow a series of recent commitments from the Brown administration to scale up zero-emission vehicles and fueling infrastructure, which include:

  • Directing cap-and-trade funds to support sustainable transportation, including $133 million for the Clean Vehicle Rebate Program, $80 million for the Enhanced Fleet Modernization Program, Plus-Up Pilot Project (up to $20 million of this amount may be used for other light-duty equity pilot projects), and $150 million for heavy-duty vehicles and off-road equipment investments.
  • Lifting the cap on green HOV decals for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.
  • Advancing utility involvement in plug-in electric vehicle charging infrastructure, with 10 percent of infrastructure and expenditures in disadvantaged communities.
  • Reaching settlement with Volkswagen to invest $800 million in California zero-emission fueling infrastructure and access over a 10-year period, mitigating in part for the environmental harms from violations of emission control requirements.