San Diego approves infrastructure & EV subsidies

San Diego has recently approved two EV charging infrastructure programmes, which will install chargers at parks, beaches and schools. The city also released another funding programme providing up to $9,500 for EV acquisition.

First to the EV charging infrastructure programmes – San Diego Gas & Electric plans to equip the most frequented community facilities in the county, including schools, parks and beaches, with approximately 340 EV chargers over about 50 sites. For this, the California Public Utilities Commission gave SDG&E the green light to implement two infrastructure programmes. One project will install chargers at 22 beaches and parks, while the second programme aims to bring chargers to 30 schools and other educational facilities, such as “K-12 campuses, vocational schools, community colleges, and universities.”

Simultaneously, a programme was approved to help fund the acquisition of new electric vehicles. The Sand Diego County Board Supervisors approved the implementation of the Clean Cars 4 All programme, which aims to help qualified low-income residents to purchase older, higher polluting vehicles with low- or zero-emissions vehicles with funding from $5,000 to $9,500. There is also an option for residents to trade their car for a voucher to use with alternative mobility concepts, such as “public transit, car sharing, bike sharing, or electric bikes.” The programme aims to improve the local air quality, as well as make the energy revolution more inclusive, Dan Jacobson, director of the environmental advocacy group Environment California, puts it. He wants to make electric cars more accessible for the “average Jane and Joe instead of just the Malibu billionaires”.

To broadcast the programme further, and enrol more participants, the San Diego County plans to launch an awareness campaign and outreach efforts. “This is a great program to make sure everyone can enjoy the benefits of clean, electric transportation,” said Jacobson. “It’s working, but we need a lot more people to tap into the programme.”

sandiegouniontribune.com, sdgenews.com, sandiegouniontribute.com (Clean Cars 4 All)