Is California's infrastructure ready for an electric vehicle future?

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In densely packed cities like San Francisco, questions about where to charge and whether PG&E’s infrastructure can support the future strain on the grid remain unanswered.

When it comes to electric vehicles, we may have put the car before the charging infrastructure. Zero- and low-emission vehicles are considered a crucial part of how the United States will transition away from fossil fuels — and the Bay Area is leading the way with about one in four new cars whirring off dealership lots with a battery instead of a gas tank.

This has caused competition for plugs and occasional waits for charging stations across The City, especially among those who can’t charge at home. “The intent is to effectuate that build-out of the public charging network,” said Chu. “By 2030, all new vehicles should be electric — 100% electric. And by 2040, everything that moves should be electric — because the transportation sector is responsible for half of all our greenhouse gas emissions. Half.”

Although who and what kinds of cars qualify for these credits have sparked some debate, the goal is to make EVs accessible to people across income levels, policymakers assert. Callaway estimates that those upgrades could cost PG&E up to $10 billion. But it’s not the money that worries him — it’s the pace of change. Right now, PG&E estimates that one in five EVs in the U.S. charge from its grid. But that could swiftly shift as the demand for electric vehicles continues to grow.

But this issue is top of mind for utilities like PG&E. The company said it’s committed to providing programs and incentives to help redefine the energy landscape through building grid capacity while also exploring second-life battery programs, autonomous EVs, and other technologies that would support California’s clean air and greenhouse gas emission reduction goals.

 

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Installing chargers is a good idea, improving Muni by hiring more operators, reducing wait times and prioritizing buses with Lanes, barriers and private streets is a much much better idea. Of course both would be great, but Muni should definitely be prioritized. See transit 1st

They going to get power from where?😃

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