Electric vehicles (EVs) are an important technology to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improve air quality. EV ownership has grown in California, spurred by State and local policies focused on reducing GHG emissions through electrification of the transportation network and through vehicle incentives. The County 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 has been working with regional partners on the Accelerate to Zero Emissions (A2Z) Collaboration. The County’s participation on the A2Z Collaboration supports implementation of the County’s 2019 EV Roadmap.

 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.

As a first step in this effort, the A2Z Collaboration published the San Diego Regional Electric Vehicle Gap Analysis in July 2021 to highlight the major market gaps the San Diego region will need to overcome to achieve State targets on ZEV adoption and ZEV infrastructure installation.

Building on the findings presented in the Gap Analysis, the A2Z Collaboration has recently released the San Diego Regional Zero Emission Vehicle Strategy – a report that identifies ten Strategies to address challenges to ZEV adoption in the region.

In the report, the Strategies include implementation recommendations to help serve as a resource and provide guidance for regional and local government agencies, planning organizations, utilities, fleet operators, building owners, community-based organizations (CBOs), and others on how they can take action to increase ZEV adoption rates, address equity, and enhance accessibility of ZEV infrastructure within the San Diego region.

The Strategies were released in conjunction with EV Day 2023, a community event held on October 14, 2023, at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego. At the event, participants were able to test drive EVs, speak with local EV dealers and enthusiasts, get information about EV rebates and incentives, and more. In addition, the County hosted a table at the event to provide information on County programs that promote EVs and reduce GHG emissions.

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