GETTING A CHARGE FROM ELECTRIC VEHICLES

The electric vehicle has finally gained serious traction with manufacturers and consumers, according to the expert panel that addressed the Council’s Energy Committee meeting this week (Jan. 11), and California has made a good start towards Governor Brown’s goals of one million zero-emission vehicles by 2020 and 1.5 million by 2025. Twenty five new plug-in electric vehicles will appear in showrooms in the next three years, representing the majority of the major global automakers. In addition to a small number of mid- to long-range all-battery vehicles, consumers will have a growing number of choices for “plug in hybrids” with battery range of 20 or 30 miles—sufficient for most day to day transportation—and a gas-powered range-extender engine for longer trips.

Electric vehicle charging networks need to grow in order to accommodate rising EV ownership; the biggest gap is workplace charging, with a need for about 50 times more chargers by 2020 than currently exists. To join the Council’s Energy Committee and contribute to making the Bay Area the leader in electric vehicle adoption and production, contact Senior Vice President Michael Cunningham.