Several utilities in the United States have announced substantial investments in the electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure needed to electrify transportation systems, both private and corporate/institutional vehicle fleets, in various parts of the country.
On January 20 San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) filed a series of proposals with the California Public Utilities Commission to install tens of thousands of electric charging stations in new, key areas to encourage the transition to zero-emission EV trucks, shuttles, and delivery fleets, among other areas.
"SDG&E has spent more than a decade reducing our carbon footprint through the rapid expansion of clean energy. We all want to breathe cleaner air, which means slowing down the impacts of climate change will require an increased focus on the areas that produce the most harmful emissions," said Caroline Winn, chief operating officer of SDG&E. "We are committed as a business and a community partner to improving lives by developing meaningful solutions."
For SDG&E customers, who over the last twelve months received more than 40 percent of their energy from renewable sources, now is the time to increase the use of electricity as a transportation fuel source, the utility said.
If SDG&E's proposals are approved, additional electric charging stations would be installed at San Diego International Airport, Port of San Diego, for delivery fleets, taxi/rideshare, Park-and-Rides and residential homes throughout the region. These proposed programs would build upon the company's efforts to install electric charging infrastructure at 350 apartments, condos and businesses as part of the Power Your Drive program.
The filing is in response to Senate Bill (SB) 350, which recognized the vital role energy companies like SDG&E will play in widespread transportation electrification by installing and expanding the charging network and other necessary infrastructure.
Taken together, SDG&E's transportation electrification proposals aim to jumpstart the EV sector and test cutting-edge technology. The larger residential project would focus on customer homes and smart charging with special EV rates to encourage off-peak charging. The residential charging program would install up to 90,000 charging stations at single family homes throughout the company's service area. Other programs would provide charging stations at San Diego International Airport, the Port of San Diego, stations for about 90 fleet delivery vehicles at approximately six business locations, and others.
Southern California Edison has filed a similar plan for electrification of cars, buses, medium- and heavy-duty trucks and industrial vehicles and equipment in its service territory. If approved, the overall package in the filing would mean more than $570 million in programs and infrastructure to help grow the transportation electrification market over a five-year period. Residential customers, for example, would receive rebates for installation of residential charging stations. SCE proposes a monetary reward to rideshare and taxi drivers who use an EV and exceed a specified number of rides during a given time period.
And in Utah, a network of charging stations has received a $4 million boost from the U.S. Department of Energy. The grant will go toward building fast-charge stations every 100 miles, spanning 1,500 miles of highway in Utah, Wyoming and Idaho.
In Canada, Quebec leads the provinces in charging installations, with about 1,000 by government count. The province has also instituted a requirement that, starting with the 2018 model year, 3.5 per cent of all auto sales in the province will have to be from those types of vehicles. That threshold will rise to 15.5 per cent for 2025. Automakers have in fact expressed concern over the market's ability to supply those numbers.
Ontario offers up to $14,000 in rebates for electric vehicle purchases, the most in the country. Quebec offers rebates of up to $8,000 and B.C. provides rebates of up to $5,000.