Local Government Zero-emission Vehicle Readiness

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California is Going Zero Emissions, Zero-Emission Transportation
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Zero-Emission Transportation, Sustainable Communities & Climate Protection Program, Advanced Clean Cars Program, Zero-Emission Vehicle Program
Creating an Equitable Multi-modal Transportation System

Local actions, in addition to state and federal actions, are essential to advancing California’s climate, air quality, and equity goals through a robust zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) multi-modal ecosystem. To develop and implement appropriate local ZEV strategies, local jurisdictions need a definition of what it means to be “ZEV ready.” What are the metrics for achieving ZEV readiness? What needs to be in place to ensure a smooth transition from a fossil-fuel based transportation system to a zero-emission one? The information below defines ZEV readiness and the local government actions that facilitate it.

This information encompasses what is needed to support light-, medium- and heavy-duty battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. It also includes multi-modal options (transit, school buses, electric shuttles, rental cars and taxis, emerging electric mobility options such as electric ride-sharing, carsharing, ride-hailing, e-bikes, e-cargo bikes, e-scooters, off-road equipment, and autonomous vehicles) with particular attention to underserved or disadvantaged populations. Walking and biking, however, reduce vehicle miles traveled and are one of the best forms of clean mobility when possible, and provide additional equity and public health co-benefits.

ZEV Readiness Definition: A ZEV-ready jurisdiction has, and will continue to plan for:

  • Appropriate refueling infrastructure: equitably deployed and reliable ZEV refueling infrastructure to meet the jurisdiction’s transportation needs for all vehicle classes, including emerging electric mobility;
  • Accessible clean mobility: zero-emission, reliable and safe multi-modal transportation and new and used ZEVs available for purchase or lease;
  • Supportive policies and programs: that address local ZEV uptake barriers, including permit streamlining, incentives and education and outreach;
  • Outreach and education: to develop a ZEV-informed population; and
  • Skilled workforce: a skilled workforce with access to high road jobs that support ZEVs, ZEV infrastructure, and the ZEV industry, all centered in equity principles.

The specifics of all these components are unique to each jurisdiction and depend on factors such as existing ZEV refueling infrastructure, socioeconomic characteristics of the community, transportation needs and travel patterns, climate, and geography. There are emerging tools and best practice that can guide a wide range of ZEV deployment efforts including forecasts, infrastructure development, educational approaches, workforce training, and programs to support disadvantaged communities. 

Tools and Best Practices:

Recommended Local Actions to Develop a ZEV-Ready Equitable Multi-modal Transportation System

There are many facets to achieving ZEV readiness in jurisdictions across California. Actions must be tailored to fit the needs of each community, whether it is an urban, suburban, or rural area. The following section describes various actions that a region or jurisdiction can take to move toward ZEV readiness.

Develop equitable sustainability and transportation goals and plans:

Support charging infrastructure

  • Develop charging infrastructure plans
    • Communities need a network of refueling stations located on nearby highway corridors, at key destinations, city centers, in fleet terminals, retail establishments, multi-unit dwellings, workplaces, single-family homes, and other locations.
    • California has ambitious goals for ZEV infrastructure to support 1.5 million ZEVs by 2025: 250,000 charging stations by 2025 (including 10,000 direct current fast chargers) and 200 hydrogen fueling stations.
    • The California Energy Commission uses EVI-Pro to estimate the number of charging connectors that will be needed for light-duty vehicles at the local level while accounting for differing charger power levels, location types, land use, and ZEV uptake rates. These estimates help inform the charging gap for the state and is the basis for estimating funds needed for the California Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Project (CALeVIP). The EVI-Pro Lite provides a way for metropolitan regions to estimate charging infrastructure needs using various assumptions.[1]
    • Local ZEV infrastructure plans will help jurisdictions prepare for private, state and federal charging infrastructure funding, public and private utility charging infrastructure investments, and other local agency funds. The San Francisco Department of the Environment, for example, has partnered with Google to develop the EV Blueprint Mapping Tool (page 47-48) which is a dynamic tool to identify priority areas for electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the city and can be used by other communities.
  • Develop innovative charging options which can be an important aspect of electric vehicle charging infrastructure planning, including off-street, curbside, streetlamp, solar chargers, and mobile chargers, for example.
    • A city or county should plan for a variety of charging opportunities, which may include off-street charging, curbside chargers, and for chargers that take advantage of additional electrical capacity in streetlights that have shifted to LED lighting to optimize charging station locations for drivers. Other charging options such as solar and mobile chargers may be needed to meet grid capacity and electrical infrastructure constraints.
  • Plan for and implement emerging electric mobility charging infrastructure (e.g., transportation network companies like Uber and Lyft, taxis, rental cars, carshare, e-bikes/scooters, autonomous vehicles)
    • New electric mobility options are increasingly available, such as electric rideshare or carsharing, electric bikes, e-cargo bikes, e-scooters, and electric ride hailing vehicles and taxis, as well as emerging autonomous vehicles. Strategic infrastructure siting is important for a community to optimize the use of emerging mobility and to meet the community’s transportation needs.
  • Support medium- and heavy-duty ZEV fleets charging infrastructure
    • As increasing numbers of medium- and heavy-duty ZEV fleets, including transit, emerge in California, the need for charging infrastructure to fuel them will grow. The Energy Commission developed a Heavy Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Projection tool (HEVI-Pro) (page 46-47) to analyze smart charging load profiles and provide a framework for potential grid upgrades along with incentives to deploy charging infrastructure.
    • The Energy Commission will fund ZEV readiness blueprints for planning efforts to prepare for heavy-duty ZEVs and infrastructure smartly integrated into the grid to reduce charging costs, provide grid benefits, and cut the costs for all electricity users.
    • Local jurisdictions should consider site-specific needs of medium-heavy duty electric vehicles including adequate power, vehicle clearance, and on-site renewable energy and storage to offset demand charges.
  • Integrate an electric grid strategy (smart charging, renewable energy, stationary battery storage) into ZEV infrastructure planning and implementation
    • Electrical grid infrastructure planning is key. Communities should work with electric utilities to develop an electric grid strategy that includes vehicle-grid integration, smart charging (controlling when and how charging occurs), and renewable energy and stationary battery storage, for example. Vehicle-grid integration includes vehicle-to-grid and vehicle-to-home (or building) for example, to reduce consumer costs and build community climate resiliency and grid efficiencies. Vehicle-to-grid technology is “a system in which there is capability of controllable, bi-directional electric energy flow between a vehicle and the electrical grid.” See page 5 of “Vehicle-to-Grid Power Flow Regulations and Building Codes Review by the AVTA”.
  • Develop permit streamlining
    • One of the most effective actions a local government can take is to streamline their permitting processes for charging infrastructure.  In fact, AB 1236 (Statutes of 2015, Chapter 598) requires that communities streamline their permitting processes and communication requirements for applicants. The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development’s (GO-Biz) Electric Vehicle Charging Station Permitting Guidebookprovides guidance and support on permitting and other related actions such as site selection, building standards, curbside charging, accessibility, grid connections and construction. GO-Biz also sponsored the “Permitting Olympics” which rewarded California counties with the most jurisdictions within the county that have instituted permit streamlining.
  • Implement building code updates—adopting voluntary CALGreen electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) codes
    • A cost-effective action for local governments is to adopt CALGreen’s 2022 voluntary tiers for electric vehicle capable infrastructure in new multi-unit dwellings of 17% or 22% of parking spaces, respectively, and 8% or 10% of parking spaces in new nonresidential buildings. More More information can be found in the The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development’s (GO-Biz) Electric Vehicle Charging Station Permitting Guidebook. EV capable means that only the raceway and panel capacity are required for the EV parking spot. Local jurisdictions can also expand the scope of these codes to address existing buildings during building alterations or additions. Also, incorporating state Americans with Disabilities Act, known as ADA, guidelines into parking for electric vehicle charging in new buildings is cost effective.
  • Establish ZEV-friendly zoning codes and ordinances
    • Zoning for electric vehicles ensures that charging is an allowed land use in as many zoning districts as possible, as an accessory or a principal use. See page 129 in the Zero-Emission Vehicles in California: Community Readiness Guidebook, for details. Local jurisdictions can also update zoning codes to count charging spaces as part of the parking requirement or enact requirements for electric vehicle-only parking. For example, a charging space can count as two parking spaces, or at least one parking space. Local jurisdictions can also adopt ordinances that reduce parking requirements if an electric carsharing space is provided.  

Promote ZEV education and outreach

  • Consumer education and outreach (e.g., public awareness campaigns, ride-and-drives, ZEV basics classes, etc.)
    • One of the main barriers to ZEV uptake is the lack of public awareness regarding ZEVs and refueling infrastructure. As part of ZEV readiness grants, some communities have funded ride-and-drives, “EV 101” classes and outreach to city staff and public and private sector employees. Some cities have developed ZEV guides for consumers or manuals on charging infrastructure deployment. Leveraging existing outreach resources such as CARB’s DriveClean website or Veloz’ “Electric For All” are highly recommended.
  • Support electric vehicle experts and/or help desks
    • Local governments can engage an electric vehicle expert, available to all electric vehicle stakeholders, to provide a central point of contact for technical assistance. The electric vehicle expert can help site hosts with charging infrastructure installations, address incentives and electric utility rates, assist with consistent regional charging infrastructure planning and streamlined permitting processes, support education and outreach initiatives, provide e-carsharing support, and address a range of ZEV-related challenges.  The San Diego Association of Governments has had great success with its electric vehicle expert, for example.
    • Help desks are another option for cities to provide information on ZEV technology and charging infrastructure installation for community members, workplace employees, apartment and condominium owners, charging infrastructure providers and other stakeholders.  The City of San Francisco, for example, staffed an electric vehicle help desk to help administer and implement their EV Blueprint actions and field all electric vehicle and emerging mobility-related inquiries from the public, private businesses, property owners, and charging station providers.
  • Support education for city officials, first responders, and workplace employees
    • Local officials, such as building inspectors, should be educated on ZEV technology, refueling, permitting and inspection processes, code updates, electric utility rate options and requirements for deploying infrastructure.  First responders need training on how to respond to hydrogen station accidents and electric vehicle fires or accidents. Workplaces should also understand the employee benefits of ZEV parking and refueling, and strategies for effective workplace charging management. Elected city officials should be aware of the economic benefits of a ZEV-ready community in terms of attracting companies and jobs, as well as meeting the needs of local drivers and travelers to the community.

Provide incentives

  • Provide local ZEV incentives for light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicles (carpool lane access, rebates/financing, electric vehicle charging rates, fee waivers, preferred parking)
    • Local governments can assist in educating residents, businesses, fleet owners, owners of apartments and condominiums, and others on a variety of available ZEV incentives. They can also offer incentives such as ZEV parking discounts, charging infrastructure installation rebates, vehicle incentives, support for e-carshare and e-ride-hailing, and various fee waivers.  More information on available models, incentives and charging and fueling can be found at:
  • Transportation pricing strategies (e.g., low- and zero-emission zones)
    • Local governments can provide incentives for electric mobility through pricing strategies such as zero- or low-emission zones that either allow qualifying ZEVs to drive in a specific geographic area for free or at reduced rates compared to conventional vehicles. These zones are established in cities throughout the world, but in California they must be approved by the Legislature unless they are voluntary. Pricing strategies to promote ZEV adoption should be mindful of equity considerations in program design and in investments funded by proceeds from pricing schemes.
    • The City of Santa Monica is the first California city to establish a voluntary zero-emissions delivery zone piloted by the Los Angeles Clean-tech Incubator through the Transportation Electrification Partnership. The zero-emission delivery zone has no enforcement mechanism but offers benefits to those who comply with the zone guidelines.

Other

  • Transition ZEV fleets
  • Establish electric vehicle signage and wayfinding
  • Establish local workforce training and access to the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program (EVITP) certification program
    • Expanding the local ZEV ecosystem provides a good opportunity for new jobs and apprenticeships, including charging station installers, electricians, technicians and construction workers. Assembly Bill 841 (Ting, 2020, PUC Section 740.20) requires EVITP certification to install electric vehicle charging station infrastructure and equipment for work performed after January 1, 2022.
    • The Energy Commission’s Workforce Development Program provides grants in partnership with community colleges and the Employment Training Panel to support workforce training opportunities and workers in California’s ZEV and ZEV infrastructure sectors.