On November 15, 2021, the California Energy Commission (CEC) approved a three-year $1.4 billion plan to help the state achieve its 2025 electric vehicle (EV) charging and hydrogen refueling goals.[1] The plan will close the funding gap to support Governor Gavin Newsom’s, D, September 2020 executive order to phase out the sale of new gasoline-powered passenger vehicles by 2035. The funding in the new plan will become available over the next two years. It will be distributed to projects through a mix of competitive solicitations and direct agreements, according to the press release.

The new plan increases the budget of the Clean Transportation Program by six times, including $1.1 billion from the 2021–2022 state budget in addition to the remaining $238 million in program funds. The three-year plan includes $314 million for light-duty EV charging infrastructure, $690 million for medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicle infrastructure, $77 million for hydrogen refueling infrastructure, and $25 million for zero-and near-zero-carbon fuel production and supply. In addition, the plan contains $244 million for ZEV manufacturing and $15 million for workforce training and development. In response to stakeholder engagement, the CEC intends to ensure that at least 50% of funds from the plan go to projects that benefit “priority populations,” including low-income and disadvantaged communities.

[1] https://www.energy.ca.gov/news/2021-11/cec-approves-14-billion-plan-zero-emission-transportation-infrastructure-and