Latest news with #DavidHochschild
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
California now has more EV charging ports than gas nozzles
There has been a shift in what moves California. Electric vehicle charging ports now outnumber gas nozzles across the Golden State, a sign of the increasing number of zero-emission vehicles on the road. But the milestone arrives as the federal government has moved to deprioritize the shift away from gasoline-powered cars. California has steadily amassed its EV charging network with both public and private charging ports over the last few years. In 2024, California boasted 178,500 total EV ports compared to around 120,000 estimated gas nozzles, according to the California Energy Commission. The number of accessible chargers across California has nearly doubled since 2022. Just since August, the last time these figures were publicly updated, the state has recorded roughly 26,000 additional publicly accessible EV chargers. Read more: State's first EV-charging roadway planned for UCLA ahead of Olympics The commission estimates that more than 162,000 chargers are Level 2, which can provide roughly 14 to 35 miles of range per hour of charging, and nearly 17,000 are considered fast chargers — which juice up a vehicle in minutes. Many hybrid vehicles are not equipped to work with fast chargers, however. More than 700,000 Level 2 chargers are installed across the state in single-family homes, according to state estimates. All of this expansion is taking place as California aims to ban the sale of gas-powered vehicles in the state by 2035 — though those plans have come under fire by the Trump administration and congressional Republicans. Read more: Trump, congressional Republicans seek to block California's 2035 ban on gas-powered vehicles "The California EV driver experience is getting better by the day,' CEC Chairman David Hochschild said in a statement. 'The state will continue to heavily invest in EV infrastructure, with particular emphasis in hard-to-reach areas, making these vehicles an easy choice for new car buyers.' Part of the dramatic increase in the statewide tally is due to new data sources that track operational chargers, though there has also been a large increase in new chargers installed, the agency said. Roughly 73,500 chargers were incorporated into the state's data in 2024, but only approximately 38,000 of those were newly installed chargers. Nationwide, the EV market now has to tangle with a major obstacle: the White House. The Trump administration has signaled fierce opposition and taken steps to reverse policies enacted by former President Biden that were intended to bolster the EV market and phase out gas-powered vehicles — including the goal for EVs to make up half of new cars sold in the U.S. by 2030. The federal government has paused a $15-million grant to expand Oregon's EV charging network, according to the Portland Business Journal, and the Miami Herald reports a similar pattern for Florida's plans to build more EV charging ports. Read more: Broken chargers, lax oversight: How California's troubled EV charging stations threaten emission goals In August, the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded 29 states, eight federally recognized tribes and the District of Columbia $521 million to expand the nation's EV charging network. California received nearly $150 million for the construction of more than 9,200 EV charging ports, with $15 million meant to go toward building them in underserved communities in Los Angeles County. Across the country and Puerto Rico, there are more than 77,300 EV charging stations and roughly 216,400 public ports, according to the latest federal data from the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
27-03-2025
- Automotive
- Los Angeles Times
California now has more EV charging ports than gas nozzles
There has been a shift in what moves California. Electric vehicle charging ports now outnumber gas nozzles across the Golden State, a sign of the increasing number of zero-emission vehicles on the road. But the milestone arrives as the federal government has moved to deprioritize the shift away from gasoline-powered cars. California has steadily amassed its EV charging network with both public and private charging ports over the last few years. In 2024, California boasted 178,500 total EV ports compared to around 120,000 estimated gas nozzles, according to the California Energy Commission. The number of accessible chargers across California has nearly doubled since 2022. Just since August, the last time these figures were publicly updated, the state has recorded roughly 26,000 additional publicly accessible EV chargers. The commission estimates that more than 162,000 chargers are Level 2, which can provide roughly 14 to 35 miles of range per hour of charging, and nearly 17,000 are considered fast chargers — which juice up a vehicle in minutes. Many hybrid vehicles are not equipped to work with fast chargers, however. More than 700,000 Level 2 chargers are installed across the state in single-family homes, according to state estimates. All of this expansion is taking place as California aims to ban the sale of gas-powered vehicles in the state by 2035 — though those plans have come under fire by the Trump administration and congressional Republicans. 'The California EV driver experience is getting better by the day,' CEC Chairman David Hochschild said in a statement. 'The state will continue to heavily invest in EV infrastructure, with particular emphasis in hard-to-reach areas, making these vehicles an easy choice for new car buyers.' Part of the dramatic increase in the statewide tally is due to new data sources that track operational chargers, though there has also been a large increase in new chargers installed, the agency said. Roughly 73,500 chargers were incorporated into the state's data in 2024, but only approximately 38,000 of those were newly installed chargers. Nationwide, the EV market now has to tangle with a major obstacle: the White House. The Trump administration has signaled fierce opposition and taken steps to reverse policies enacted by former President Biden that were intended to bolster the EV market and phase out gas-powered vehicles — including the goal for EVs to make up half of new cars sold in the U.S. by 2030. The federal government has paused a $15-million grant to expand Oregon's EV charging network, according to the Portland Business Journal, and the Miami Herald reports a similar pattern for Florida's plans to build more EV charging ports. In August, the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded 29 states, eight federally recognized tribes and the District of Columbia $521 million to expand the nation's EV charging network. California received nearly $150 million for the construction of more than 9,200 EV charging ports, with $15 million meant to go toward building them in underserved communities in Los Angeles County. Across the country and Puerto Rico, there are more than 77,300 EV charging stations and roughly 216,400 public ports, according to the latest federal data from the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation.
Miami Herald
26-03-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
California Just Crossed an EV Milestone. Here's How
California has officially hit a major milestone in its electric vehicle transition: the state now has 48% more EV chargers than gasoline pumps. According to the California Energy Commission, there are approximately 178,000 public and shared private chargers across the state, compared to about 120,000 gas nozzles. On the surface, the announcement is a huge win for electrification. But does the figure actually reflect an easier charging reality for EV drivers? Unlike gas stations, where a quick stop can refill a tank in minutes, EV chargers come in different tiers of speed. The vast majority - 162,000 of them - are slower Level 2 chargers, which can take hours to fully charge a battery. Only about 17,000 are DC fast chargers, which offer a much closer experience to a traditional gas station fill-up. While most EV owners charge at home, long-distance travelers and those without home charging rely heavily on these fast-charging stations. California government data shows that charging access has expanded rapidly in recent years, with the number of available plugs nearly doubling in 2024 alone. That aligns with the state's EV boom - about a quarter of all new car sales last year were electric - though the pace of growth has started to taper off. To support the growing demand, California is pushing forward with a $1.4 billion plan to expand charging and hydrogen fueling infrastructure. The state also aims to speed up the permitting process and improve charger reliability. These efforts will be crucial as California inches toward its aggressive zero-emission goals: 68% of new cars sold by 2030 must be electric, with gas car sales banned entirely by 2035. "The California EV driver experience is getting better by the day," said California Energy Commission Chair David Hochschild. "The state will continue to heavily invest in EV infrastructure, with particular emphasis in hard-to-reach areas, making these vehicles an easy choice for new car buyers." Governor Gavin Newsom has framed California's charging expansion as a direct contrast to federal efforts to scale back EV incentives. "As the federal government works to make it harder for you to charge your electric car, California is doing the opposite," Newsom said in a statement. The Biden administration had previously allocated federal funds for charging infrastructure, but that progress could be reversed if he Trump administration rolls back EV-friendly policies. The potential for legal battles over California's ability to set stricter emissions rules could also impact future EV growth. For now, California continues to lead the nation in EV adoption, and the charging network is rapidly expanding. But the experience of driving and charging an EV isn't just about the number of chargers, it's about where they are, how fast they work, and how reliable they remain. Until those factors improve, some drivers might still think twice before making the switch. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
California Just Crossed an EV Milestone. Here's How
California has officially hit a major milestone in its electric vehicle transition: the state now has 48% more EV chargers than gasoline pumps. According to the California Energy Commission, there are approximately 178,000 public and shared private chargers across the state, compared to about 120,000 gas nozzles. On the surface, the announcement is a huge win for electrification. But does the figure actually reflect an easier charging reality for EV drivers? Unlike gas stations, where a quick stop can refill a tank in minutes, EV chargers come in different tiers of speed. The vast majority — 162,000 of them — are slower Level 2 chargers, which can take hours to fully charge a battery. Only about 17,000 are DC fast chargers, which offer a much closer experience to a traditional gas station fill-up. While most EV owners charge at home, long-distance travelers and those without home charging rely heavily on these fast-charging stations. California government data shows that charging access has expanded rapidly in recent years, with the number of available plugs nearly doubling in 2024 alone. That aligns with the state's EV boom — about a quarter of all new car sales last year were electric — though the pace of growth has started to taper off. To support the growing demand, California is pushing forward with a $1.4 billion plan to expand charging and hydrogen fueling infrastructure. The state also aims to speed up the permitting process and improve charger reliability. These efforts will be crucial as California inches toward its aggressive zero-emission goals: 68% of new cars sold by 2030 must be electric, with gas car sales banned entirely by 2035. "The California EV driver experience is getting better by the day,' said California Energy Commission Chair David Hochschild. 'The state will continue to heavily invest in EV infrastructure, with particular emphasis in hard-to-reach areas, making these vehicles an easy choice for new car buyers.' Governor Gavin Newsom has framed California's charging expansion as a direct contrast to federal efforts to scale back EV incentives. 'As the federal government works to make it harder for you to charge your electric car, California is doing the opposite," Newsom said in a statement. The Biden administration had previously allocated federal funds for charging infrastructure, but that progress could be reversed if he Trump administration rolls back EV-friendly policies. The potential for legal battles over California's ability to set stricter emissions rules could also impact future EV growth. For now, California continues to lead the nation in EV adoption, and the charging network is rapidly expanding. But the experience of driving and charging an EV isn't just about the number of chargers, it's about where they are, how fast they work, and how reliable they remain. Until those factors improve, some drivers might still think twice before making the switch.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
California Has Almost 50 Percent More EV Chargers Than Gas Pumps
California Gov. Gavin Newsom's office released a news bulletin last week announcing that The Golden State now has 48 percent more public and shared private EV chargers than the number of gas nozzles. The state's primary energy policy and planning agency the California Energy Commission or CEC said that as of 2024, there are 178,549 EV chargers across the state versus about 120,000 gas nozzles. The vast majority of these are Level 2 chargers, with about 10 percent or 16,971 chargers capable of Level 3 fast charging. California leads the country in EV ownership rates, so it's a good thing that public charger access has grown exponentially over recent years. Many EV owners charge their vehicles at home on private chargers, which are not included in these numbers, but public access to reliable EV chargers will become more important as more people buy new or used electric vehicles. Read more: Honda Prologue Costs Less, Gets More Range Than Chevy Blazer EV Sibling The data shows a sizable jump in the number of publicly available and shared private EV chargers last year, with 2024 nearly doubling the number of chargers in 2023. 26 percent of all cars on California roads in 2023 were plug-in hybrids or battery electric vehicles according to Edmunds, and the CEC says there has been about 2.2 million PHEVs, FCEVs, and EVs sold in the state as of 2024. Separate from the 178,000 public chargers, the CEC estimates that more than 700,000 Level 2 chargers are currently installed in single-family homes in California. CEC Chair David Hochschild said, "The California EV driver experience is getting better by the day. The state will continue to heavily invest in EV infrastructure, with particular emphasis in hard-to-reach areas, making these vehicles an easy choice for new car buyers." Newsom has vocalized his distaste for the Trump administration's efforts to defund public charging expansion initiatives, but California recently approved its own $1.4 billion EV infrastructure investment plan to continue its impressive momentum in EV adoption. The CEC acknowledges that about half of the chargers included in the 2024 charger totals were installed prior to 2024, but new data sources just identified them. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.
