EV Infrastructure: Will we be ready by 2025?

Have you seen electric vehicles (EVs) on the road and thought about getting one yourself?  You’re not the only one. With 156,698 Zero Emissions Vehicles (ZEVs) registered in LA County and growing, your neighbors are rapidly shifting away from gasoline-powered cars and are doing their part to tackle climate change and improve our region’s air quality.  In order to support this growth in demand and meet set goals, we will need to rapidly replace pump stations with charging stations.

The American Jobs Plan established a goal of 500,000 EV charging stations to support the transition to ZEVs.  Our state has a goal of 250,000 stations, and our County has a goal of 60,000 stations in our region by 2025. This means LA County needs an investment of at least $600 million.

While this may seem like a lot of money, the benefits outweigh the costs. In LA County 1 in 11 children have asthma. This rate increases the closer families are located next to a freeway. Deploying more public charging stations in communities currently underserved by this infrastructure is key to addressing historical inequities.

EVs are on track to becoming California’s top manufacturing export. In 2020, the export value of EVs exceeded that of civilian aircraft, semiconductors, and almonds. Therefore in addition to creating manufacturing and construction jobs, the ongoing maintenance of charging stations will create careers.

The American Jobs Plan includes $174 billion to stimulate the EV market. This much needed investment will help electrify LA County and provide us with the 21st century infrastructure we need.