Agenda & Notes: September 27, 2023 Infrastructure Workgroup Meeting

Agenda

  1. Welcome/Introductions 
  2. Summary of August 2023 meeting
  3. State of EV charge card efforts 
  4. Open Discussion 
    1. Project Idea: Subsidize electric fuel/statewide EV charging card
  5. Next Steps 

Attendees

Adrienne Harris, CARB; Annalise Czerny, The Rebel Group/CalITP; Natalie Reavey, CARB; Bridey Scully, CEC; Brendan Burns, CEC; Zach Franklin, GRID Alternatives; Ruben Aronin, Better World Group; George Payba, LADWP; Munni Krishna, Veloz; Marissa Williams, CARB, Andrea Nguyen, Greenlining; Zach Hill, Tesla; Whitney Richardson, Electrify America; Thomas Ashley, Voltera; Chelsea Lee, Better World Group; Glenn Choe, Toyota; Corey Permann, CEC; Tom Knox, ValleyCan 

State of EV charge card efforts 

  • Annalise Czerny, The Rebel Group 
  • The goal is not to just improve access to transportation but to also improve financial inclusion. Prepaid cards can be set up to suit different customer preferences and have the potential to work really well. Part of the goal is to validate that pre-paid cards would work for this cohort/reduce barriers to ZEV charging. They saw different usage between the different cohorts. Recipients not ZEV owners spent the most money because now they could probably afford other mobility modes that they couldn’t use before. They didn’t restrict transactions to see how much misuse of funds. However, users were told only to use cards for EV charging and multi-model transportation – 8% of transactions were out of scope.  After a warning – no misuse again. EV stations not working was the biggest problem. Additionally, some had problems using card at some stations. They found that more than 20 brands of ZEV charging were used among the cohort of recipients (150 ZEV drivers), so we shouldn’t restrict to one brand with these cards. 
  • Yes! To prepaid cards as one tool to add to state, local and nonprofit toolkits. 
  • We will circulate the report once it becomes available publicly. 

Discussion: Subsidize electric fuel/statewide EV charging card 

  • There was discussion on using a charger without a credit card reader as well as using an App rather than a credit card. During the study, there were not phone call transactions and they wanted to use a standard way people pay for goods and services which is a bank card. 
  • Participants have also been wrestling with the long-term benefits versus an upfront benefit “slug of money” that can be used up and then driver goes back to regular prices for charging.  This needs to be researched more and look at different solutions.  For pre-paid cards, funds can be added over time.  Maybe give money to the people who needs it more. Based on usage need, not income need.  Best to give people choice, to reduce hurdles and barriers and we don’t want to treat people as second-class citizen. 

Next Month’s Topic 

  • Project idea: Create blueprint/business model to scale up investment in infrastructure and community-driven process for siting charging stations. 

 

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