August 12, 2025 - ZEV Equity Task Force Meeting Summary

The meeting started with welcoming remarks and a review of the agenda. 

How California is Prioritizing ZEVs and Next Steps

Remarks were made by the California Air Resources Board’s Deputy Executive Officer, Chris Grundler, regarding the current political and legal challenges to advancing zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) policies, particularly in this federal landscape. A key focus was Governor Newsom’s recent executive order, which directs the development of recommendations—within 60 days—to sustain momentum toward the state’s ZEV and climate goals. You can download the report here.

CARB staff will also soon launch the public process for a new set of vehicle emission standards aimed at reducing pollution, with a public workshop anticipated later this fall. The urgency of continuing to reduce emissions and the need for swift, durable measures to protect public health going forward were underscored. Task Force participants were encouraged to engage in the rulemaking effort, as all ideas and perspectives will be valuable in crafting an effective program.

Tribal and Rural Tour Recap
Lisa Chiladakis, with CARB, provided an overview was provided of a recent clean transportation and energy tour in San Diego County, designed to strengthen government-to-government relationships with tribal communities and better understand their transportation and environmental priorities. Over two days, the tour visited eight tribes, revealing challenges such as unreliable electricity and limited access to clean transportation technologies. The discussion also addressed barriers to clean mobility, energy solutions, and workforce training, underscoring the need for targeted support and collaboration to advance sustainable infrastructure and clean transportation options in these communities. Please contact ZEVEquity@arb.ca.gov for more information about the tour.

GO-Biz ZEV Equity Definition and Action Plan Update and Next Steps
Valeria Cantor Mendez and Nidia Erceg with the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development discussed the development of a ZEV Equity Action Plan. The plan outlines actionable steps, metrics, and policy recommendations aimed at reducing pollution and advancing equity in clean transportation. Community engagement was emphasized as essential to ensuring the plan reflects diverse needs and priorities. Interagency collaboration was also highlighted as critical for successfully implementing the plan’s goals and sustaining long-term progress. Please contact ZEVEquity@arb.ca.gov to get a copy of the slides or to learn more.

Electric For All – The Way Forward is Electric Campaign
Munni Krishna, Head of Business Development, Veloz, provided an update on their new national electric vehicle education campaign, The Way Forward is Electric, which aims to boost public awareness and interest in EVs. The campaign will use a mix of digital ads, social media, and celebrity partnerships to reach broad and diverse audiences. Emphasis was placed on meeting people where they are and ensuring that information about EVs is accessible, relatable, and engaging to help increase adoption.  Please contact Munni Krishna to learn more about the campaign or how to support the campaign. 

Bridging the Gap: EV Charging for All Housing Types:

The session brought together state agencies, program implementers, and nonprofit partners to discuss recent and upcoming changes to building standards, funding opportunities, and best practices for expanding electric vehicle (EV) charging in multifamily housing—especially in disadvantaged and low-income communities.

The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) provided an overview of newly adopted CALGreen building standards, effective January 1, 2026, which increase EV charging requirements for multifamily buildings, hotels, and motels. These updates clarify applicability across different parking arrangements, address requirements for retrofits and alterations, and introduce updated voluntary measures that local agencies can adopt to go beyond statewide minimums.

The California Energy Commission highlighted its Communities in Charge program, which has awarded $70 million for over 10,000 Level 2 charging ports, with 68% of funds allocated to disadvantaged and low-income communities. The program’s current funding wave focuses on multifamily sites, with readiness to build being a key criterion for awards.

Ecology Action shared approaches to overcoming barriers in affordable housing, such as limited budgets, site constraints, permitting and ADA compliance challenges, and ongoing operations and maintenance costs. Strategies include offering no-cost installation, full-service project management, technical assistance, and resident engagement to ensure chargers are used effectively.

Forth Mobility discussed the importance of pairing funding and installation with education, outreach, and ride-and-drive events to build resident awareness and comfort with EVs. They also addressed regulatory requirements—such as California’s Weights and Measures standards for chargers and software—that can delay projects if not considered early.

The panel concluded with a call for better education and coordination to streamline EV charging deployments.

Return to the ZEV Equity Task Force main page.