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The CEC estimates that approximately 24,000 new chargers will be installed in the first half of 2024, and the Fast Charge California project aims to encourage even more. In July 2025, electric vehicle (EV) charging service providers will be eligible to begin applying for funding under the Fast Charge California Project, which aims to fund up to $55 million for direct current EV fast charging stations at businesses and public locations. The Fast Charge California Project is part of the California Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Project (CALeVIP). The project was launched in 2017, when the CEC awarded the nonprofit Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE) a grant to design and implement a statewide EV charging rebate program. To date, CALeVIP has incentivized nearly 10,000 EV chargers to support the nearly 1.5 million light-duty electric vehicles on California roads, according to the Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE), the program implementer. Applications for the Fast Charge California project will be open to EV charging service providers and other representatives from locations such as convenience stores, gas stations, shopping malls, parking lots, hotels and other sites. Incentives can reach up to 100% of a projects total approved costs, with a cap of $100,000 per charging port. The CEC defines DC fast chargers as those that use direct current (DC) electricity at 480 volts to recharge a full battery electric vehicle to 80% of its capacity in about 30 minutes, although the time required depends on the size of the vehicles battery and the power level of the charger. The proposed charging stations can be in publicly accessible locations anywhere in the State, with priority given to chargers in tribal, disadvantaged and low-income communities. Cargo projects must be Tier-1, build-ready projects with only utilities design and permits required prior to applying for funding. “CALeVIP has been an important program in equitably deploying electric vehicle charging infrastructure across the state,” said Hannon Rasool, director of CEC’s Fuels and Transportation Division. “Installing more fast chargers is vital to California’s ZEV transition and we are excited that the California Fast Charging Project will prioritize not only fast chargers, but also shovel-ready projects in the communities that need them most.” The US EV market has taken off in recent years, but California’s got an especially strong boost in 2020 when the Governor signed an executive order requiring all new passenger cars and light commercial trucks sold in California to be zero-emission vehicles by 2035. In August 2022, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) approved the governor’s mandate, sending the state on a bold mission to deliver clean energy to the grid to power the homes, businesses, and vehicle fleets of its 40 million residents. Increasing EV adoption requires a network of publicly accessible chargers. CEC estimates that approximately 24,000 new chargers were installed in the first half of 2024, and the Fast Charge California project aims to encourage even more. This California announcement comes after the new administrations recent order to block funding to states for the national electric vehicle (EV) charging network . “State-funded incentives are essential to the rapid and equitable expansion of California’s fast-charging network. Knowing they can charge when they need to gives people the confidence to switch to an electric vehicle,” said Evan Wright, director of EV infrastructure and operations at CSE. “We’re making this announcement now to give potential applicants time to begin planning so they can submit the best, ready-to-build projects.” Funding for CALeVIP comes from the CEC’s Clean Transportation Program and the state’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. |
