$23 Million in Incentives Available for Electric Vehicle Chargers in Southern California

Los Angeles, CA - The California Energy Commission (CEC) is offering $23 million in incentives to businesses, nonprofits and public entities to purchase and install approximately 5,000 electric vehicle (EV) chargers across Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Applications for funding open April 5, 2022.

The incentive funds are available from the newly established Southern California Level 2 Incentive Project, a part of the California Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Project (CALeVIP) that addresses local and regional EV charging needs and supports state efforts to phase out gas-powered passenger cars by 2035. Level 2 chargers are the most commonly used type of equipment for daily EV charging at public locations, workplaces and many homes.

In Los Angeles County, Clean Power Alliance, the default electricity provider for 32 communities throughout Los Angeles and Ventura counties, contributed $1 million toward this project. Some $13 million of the incentives will be distributed in LA County, according to the Center for Sustainable Energy, CALeVIP administrators.

“The Energy Commission is proud to get more dollars out the door to accelerate the build out of the state’s EV charging infrastructure with our partners at the Center for Sustainable Energy,” said CEC Commissioner Patty Monahan. “We are committed to making charging more accessible and thrilled the Governor’s budget proposal includes billions in additional funding to ensure an equitable transition to zero-emission transportation for all.”

Incentives cover up to $3,500, or 75% of costs, per Level 2 EV charging connector for standard installations. An additional $500 per connector is available in disadvantaged and low-income communities as well as an additional $2,000 per connector for installations at multi-unit residences, for a total of up to $6,000.

The incentives are available for new charging stations in community locations throughout the four counties, home to nearly 18 million residents, or about half of California’s total population. In addition, privately owned parking facilities may apply if the installation is for shared use parking spaces.

A minimum of 60% of total project funding in each county will be invested in disadvantaged and low-income communities, according to the Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE).

“To achieve its ambitious clean transportation goals, California must ensure EV charging stations are easily available in all areas of the state to people of all income levels,” said Peter Colwell, CSE’s CALeVIP senior program manager. “Expanding charging opportunities in Southern California will help current EV owners and provide other consumers greater confidence in the reliability of EVs for their commuting and traveling.”

“Clean Power Alliance is happy to continue our partnership with the California Energy Commission to fund incentives for publicly accessible electric vehicle charging stations,” said Ted Bardacke, Clean Power Alliance’s CEO. “It is very important to have these stations available to businesses as well as multifamily housing units located in low-income and disadvantaged communities throughout Southern California.”

Southern California property owners and managers interested in EV chargers can apply for funding online at the website CALeVIP.org. Applications can include multiple charger rebates at a single location. The websiteCALeVIP Connects provides information on electric vehicle installers and service providers.

CALeVIP funding comes from the Energy Commission’s Clean Transportation Program, which is investing $1.4 billion over the next three years to speed up the state’s zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) infrastructure build-out in support of Governor Newsom’s executive order phasing out the sale of new gasoline-powered passenger vehicles by 2035.

Since December 2017, CALeVIP has made more than $193 million available for EV charging installations across 12 regional incentive projects to support state goals to get 5 million electric vehicles on California roads by 2030 and to install 250,000 vehicle charging stations to service those vehicles.

About California Energy Commission

The California Energy Commission is leading the state to a 100 percent clean energy future. It has seven core responsibilities: developing renewable energy, transforming transportation, increasing energy efficiency, investing in energy innovation, advancing state energy policy, certifying thermal power plants, and preparing for energy emergencies.

About Center for Sustainable Energy

The Center for Sustainable Energy® (CSE) is an independent nonprofit that is transforming markets for clean transportation and distributed energy through software-enabled program design and administration. CSE has administered over $2 billion in incentive programs for governments, utilities and the private sector across the U.S. Visit: EnergyCenter.org.

About Clean Power Alliance

Founded in 2017, Clean Power Alliance is the locally operated not-for-profit electricity provider for 30 cities across Los Angeles County and Ventura County, as well as the unincorporated areas of both counties. CPA is the fifth largest electricity provider in California and has the most customers receiving 100% renewable energy in the nation. CPA serves approximately three million residents and businesses via one million customer accounts, providing clean renewable energy at competitive rates.