Leveraging Federal Initiatives to Grow EV Infrastructure
California has committed to ambitious electric vehicle (EV) goals in support of its overall carbon neutrality objectives. For EVs, this means all cars and trucks sold in the state must be zero emission by 2035. To support this objective, the EV infrastructure must also scale up massively, with an estimated 1.2 million EV charging stations required to meet the increasing EV fleet. This need is reflected in new provisions being proposed to CALGreen 2022.
These proposed CALGreen 2022 provisions include a new requirement of Level 2 EV charging stations (electric vehicle supply equipment or EVSE, rated at 208/240 Volts with a 40 amp supply circuit) at a minimum of 5% of the parking (26 spaces or more) at new, non-residential sites. The amendment also proposes that developers may avoid five Level 2 charging stations with the installation of one DC Fast Charging station of at least 50 kW. In addition, the California Building Standards Commission (CBSC) proposes to increase the amount of EV Capable (infrastructure only) stalls from 10% to 20% of the total parking count.[i] Currently, the CALGreen 2022 code is in the development and adoption process, with the 45-day comment period approaching (August 13-September 27, 2021).
As local jurisdictions look to CALGreen 2022 for guidance in evaluating their own reach code options for the upcoming code cycle, it is important to consider how actions at the federal level can help support the inclusion of EV charging requirements. Firstly, the Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Tax Credit (AFITC) provides for a tax credit up to 30% of the cost, not to exceed $30,000 per site for nonresidential installations. Consumers who purchase qualified residential fueling equipment prior to December 31, 2021, may receive a tax credit of up to $1,000.[ii] While the current tax provision is set to expire at the end of 2021, the credit has been extended twice already and may well be extended again. Secondly, President Biden’s infrastructure bill, currently working its way through Congress, provides $7.5 billion for a national EV charging network, along with another $7.5 billion for electric school buses, transit buses, and other public transportation. Biden's original plan included $174 billion to promote EV adoption. Of that funding, $100 billion was to be used for consumer incentives, credits, or rebates. While the revised bipartisan bill completely removed any mention of funding for consumer subsidies, Congress plans to reintroduce funding for EV rebates in separate legislation later in the year.[iii]
At the local level, public-private incentives, such as utility or other rebates, may provide additional support for local ordinances that focus on EV infrastructure. Other incentives may be available as well. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) will be hosting a second public workshop on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021-22 Funding Plan for Clean Transportation Incentives on August 4, 2021. Interested stakeholders are invited to participate. Information and registration can be found here.
The localenergycodes.com website offers a comprehensive view of jurisdictions that have adopted EV-related reach ordinances across the state.
Additional Resources
California Plans 'Massive Scale-up' of Grid for 90% Electric Vehicles By 2035. Newsweek. June 1, 2021.
FACT SHEET: The American Jobs Plan Supercharges the Future of Transportation and Manufacturing. The White House. May 18, 2021.
Integrating Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure into Commercial Buildings and Mixed-Use Communities: Design, Modeling, and Control Optimization Opportunities. Conference Paper NREL/CP-5500-77438 September 2020.
Citations
[i] Initial Statement of Reasons for Proposed Building Standards of the California Building Standards Commission regarding the 2022 California Green Building Standards Code California Code of Regulations, Title 24, Part 11. March 2021.
[ii] https://afdc.energy.gov/laws/10513
[iii] https://insideevs.com/news/516379/biden-infrastructure-plan-new-details/
