California has surpassed its goal of selling 1.5 million electric vehicles (EVs), long before its predicted 2025 year mark, according to a report from nonprofit organization Veloz.
David Hochschild, chair of the California Energy Commission (CEC) and Veloz public policy board, says this milestone is accelerating electric transportation to spread across the state and the United States.
“For the last decade, California has had a goal to reach 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) by 2025,” Hochschild said in a statement. “Now this goal has been surpassed nearly two years early, which is an important milestone on the journey to finally bringing clean electric transportation mainstream.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom signs several new climate bills alongside several state legislators at the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Regional Office on Mare Island, a facility powered by green energy in Vallejo, Calif., on Sept. 16, 2022. (Courtesy of the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom)
In a statement last week, California Gov. Gavin Newson praised Californians for contributing to the state’s fight against pollution.
“No other state in the nation is doing as much as we are to accelerate our electric and zero emissions future,” Newsom said. “California is setting the bar for climate action—and we’re achieving our goals years ahead of schedule thanks to unprecedented investments secured in partnership with the Legislature. We’re making real progress on the world’s most ambitious plan to end the tailpipe so our kids and grandkids are left with a cleaner, healthier planet.”
California Air Resources Board Chair Liane Randolph stated more individuals are purchasing EV vehicles and are contributing to massive reductions in pollution.
“Once again, California is leading the nation and the world with a regulation that sets ambitious but achievable targets for ZEV sales. Rapidly accelerating the number of ZEVs on our roads and highways will deliver substantial emission and pollution reductions to all Californians, especially for those who live near roadways and suffer from persistent air pollution,” she said in a statement. “The regulation includes ground-breaking strategies to bring ZEVs to more communities and is supported by the governor’s ZEV budget, which provides incentives to make ZEVs available to the widest number of economic groups in California, including low- and moderate-income consumers.”
Transportation is the single largest source of emissions and air pollution in the state, according to the CARB.
The CEC reported its first quarter numbers and gathered cumulative sales for battery electric, plug-in hybrid, and fuel-cell EVs combined stand at nearly 1.524 million, while battery electric vehicles themselves, the largest portion of that by far, are at about one million.
Caroline Choi, Veloz board of directors chair, says having a wide range of EVs to choose from has helped increase sales in California.
“With 115 different EV makes and models, Californians can choose from more options than ever,” Choi said in a statement. “Electric utilities are continuing grid investments and building out infrastructure to facilitate EV charging networks and meet the growing consumer demand for clean transportation.”
In 2020, Newsom issued an executive order banning the sale of new gasoline-powered passenger cars by 2035.
“This is the most impactful step our state can take to fight climate change,” Newsom said. “For too many decades, we have allowed cars to pollute the air that our children and families breathe. Californians shouldn’t have to worry if our cars are giving our kids asthma. Our cars shouldn’t make wildfires worse—and create more days filled with smoky air. Cars shouldn’t melt glaciers or raise sea levels threatening our cherished beaches and coastlines.”
The state legislatures have since approved a $2.9 billion state investment plan for EV charging and hydrogen refueling goals and $384 million of federal funding from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program to install charging stations throughout the state.
Californians can also receive rebates of up to $7,500 for battery-electric and hydrogen-fuel-cell vehicles and up to $6,500 for plug-in hybrids, the California Clean Rebate Project states.
“This transformative investment will deploy charging and refueling infrastructure swiftly and equitably to make sure drivers of zero-emission cars and trucks feel confident they can refuel wherever they go,” CEC’s lead commissioner for transportation, Patty Monahan, said in a statement. “The plan will increase access to charging and hydrogen fueling for individuals, businesses, and public agencies while supporting our emerging manufacturing ecosystem and creating jobs. Most importantly, it provides critical funding to support the move away from dirty trucks and buses that have burdened our most vulnerable communities for too long.”
Elizabeth is a SoCal based reporter covering issues in Los Angeles and throughout the state for The Epoch Times. She is passionate about creating truthful and accurate stories for readers to connect with. When she’s not reporting, she enjoys writing poetry, playing basketball, embarking on new adventures and spending quality time with her family and friends.
