New Report Projects the Demand for Electric Vehicles and Charging Stations to Meet State Targets

08/23/21

Electric vehicles (EVs) are a critical technology to help achieve a clean mobility future. They lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, improve air quality, and offer a cost competitive option to gasoline-powered vehicles due to lower fuel and maintenance costs. EV ownership has grown in the State of California, spurred by State and local policies focused on reducing GHG emissions through electrification of the transportation network and through vehicle incentives. The County of San Diego is committed to doing its part to increase the number of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) on the road by improving access to charging infrastructure to provide clean mobility options for all residents.

As part of this commitment, the County of San Diego has been working with regional partners on the Accelerate to Zero Emissions (A2Z) Collaboration. Alongside the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), the City of San Diego, and the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District (SDAPCD), the A2Z Collaboration supports regionwide efforts to accelerate investment in ZEVs and EV infrastructure. The County’s participation on the A2Z Collaboration supports implementation of the County’s 2019 EV Roadmap.

Graph

On July 29th, the A2Z Collaboration published the first phase of the region’s strategy to support ZEV adoption and access. The report, San Diego Regional Electric Vehicle Gap Analysis (Gap Analysis), identifies the projected demand for ZEV infrastructure (e.g., EV charging stations) that will be needed to support regionwide growth in clean vehicles. Adoption of zero-emissions and electric vehicles is anticipated to increase significantly over the next decade as a result of technology improvements, availability, and State legislation (such as Assembly Bill 2127 and Executive Order N-79-20). The Gap Analysis estimates that by 2030, the San Diego region will need to significantly increase the number of publicly available EV charging stations (and even some hydrogen fueling stations) to keep up with projected demand.

While the information from the Gap Analysis identifies the current state of EV infrastructure availability and projected demand, the next phase of the A2Z Collaboration will help define how the region can implement policies, strategies, and programs to meet future ZEV infrastructure needs. This second phase, referred to as the “Regional Strategy,” will identify goals and targets for the region to track and demonstrate progress for ZEV infrastructure goals, and position the region to be a national leader in clean transportation.

To learn more about the A2Z Collaboration, head to the collaboration website at: a2zsandiego.com.