I'm new here and am asking for your help in petitioning the California Energy Commission to install a network of DC fast charging stations to allow long distance EV travel in our state. The CEC is spending about $100M of our taxpayer money a year on alternative vehicle infrastructure with the goal of reducing California's greenhouse gas emissions. They spent about $22M on EV charging infrastructure over the past 2 years, but this has included only 9 DCFC stations, none outside of metro areas. They plan to spend $18M on EV charging in the next fiscal year, with only a few DCFC stations outside of metro areas.
Tony Williams, myself, and others have individually followed, conversed, and engaged with the CEC to urge them to deploy a network of DCFC stations to allow long distance EV travel in our state. The CEC has politely brushed us off. It is clear that they are under pressure to send funding to their established transportation "stakeholders" (Hydrogen, biofuels, natural gas, etc.), and the voices of a few individuals are not going to impact their actions. I recently started a petition to urge the CEC to invest in a DCFC network to enable long distance EV travel in CA. About 200 people have signed it so far, but the signings have stalled and we need a LOT more people to sign it in order to impact the CEC's plans.
Speaking for the 200 supporters so far, I'm asking the California Leaf community to strongly support this effort. Leaf drivers will gain a lot from a long distance DCFC network, and the large number of you can really make a big impact! I think that we'll need 1000 signatures to make an impression on the CEC, and I will personally deliver the petition to the appropriate manager at one of their meetings if we hit this number by the end of March.
If you want to see your existing taxpayer money build a DCFC network, then please:
1. Go to the link below and sign the petition
2. Pass on the link and a request for support to your family, friends, colleagues, social / work circles
3. Post your request and the link on Facebook and your other social networks (e.g. the Nextdoor neighborhood community, google+, etc.)
We really need your help in doing all 3 things above to make this happen!
Petition Link:
https://www.change.org/p/california-energy-commission-install-a-network-of-dc-fast-chargers-to-enable-long-distance-ev-travel-in-california-this-year" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The latest CEC plan and progress report is here:
http://www.energy.ca.gov/2014publications/CEC-600-2014-009/CEC-600-2014-009-SD-REV.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
PETITION TEXT:
Increased adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) are important for meeting California's goals of reducing carbon emissions. Some of the largest barriers to adoption are range anxiety and the inability to drive EVs long distances in our state without long stops for charging.
Deploying a network of DC fast charging (DCFC) stations along long-distance transportation corridors will enable long-distance EV travel in California, a new mode of EV travel. Establishing this network will benefit current EV users as well as draw many more people to EVs since this would reduce range anxiety as well as demonstrate that long-distance travel is practical. This network is also needed to make EVs practical for residents of the Central Valley and rural areas who require frequent long-distance travel.
DCFC investments by the CEC would also be leveraged by the existing and well-used West Coast Electric Highway that has been established by our progressive neighbor states Oregon and Washington. Extending the West Coast Electric highway to California would enable EV travel from San Diego (and Baja California) to British Columbia, making EV adoption even more attractive in our state.
It is important for this long-distance DCFC network to be deployed ASAP, with significant capability in place by the end of the 2015 calendar year. There are currently over 120,000 EVs in California, so there would be a large user base for this network right away. GM, Nissan, and other auto vendors have committed to producing more models of extended (150-200+ mi) range vehicles by the end of 2016, so the long-distance DCFC user base would grow rapidly.
The CEC currently invests on the order of $20M per year on EV infrastructure, but it has funded only 9 DCFC stations to date at an average cost of only $15,000 each (per the Jan. 2015 report, CEC-600-2014-009-SD-REV). An initial network of several dozen DCFC stations could be deployed for about 10% of the CEC's annual EV infrastructure expenditures.
We urge the CEC to implement a network of DCFCs along transportation corridors to enable long-distance EV travel in our state. This project is well-suited for the CEC to lead because it is a statewide effort that goes beyond the interests of any single region. Please show some vision and leadership by implementing a long-distance EV DCFC network in California this year.
Tony Williams, myself, and others have individually followed, conversed, and engaged with the CEC to urge them to deploy a network of DCFC stations to allow long distance EV travel in our state. The CEC has politely brushed us off. It is clear that they are under pressure to send funding to their established transportation "stakeholders" (Hydrogen, biofuels, natural gas, etc.), and the voices of a few individuals are not going to impact their actions. I recently started a petition to urge the CEC to invest in a DCFC network to enable long distance EV travel in CA. About 200 people have signed it so far, but the signings have stalled and we need a LOT more people to sign it in order to impact the CEC's plans.
Speaking for the 200 supporters so far, I'm asking the California Leaf community to strongly support this effort. Leaf drivers will gain a lot from a long distance DCFC network, and the large number of you can really make a big impact! I think that we'll need 1000 signatures to make an impression on the CEC, and I will personally deliver the petition to the appropriate manager at one of their meetings if we hit this number by the end of March.
If you want to see your existing taxpayer money build a DCFC network, then please:
1. Go to the link below and sign the petition
2. Pass on the link and a request for support to your family, friends, colleagues, social / work circles
3. Post your request and the link on Facebook and your other social networks (e.g. the Nextdoor neighborhood community, google+, etc.)
We really need your help in doing all 3 things above to make this happen!
Petition Link:
https://www.change.org/p/california-energy-commission-install-a-network-of-dc-fast-chargers-to-enable-long-distance-ev-travel-in-california-this-year" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The latest CEC plan and progress report is here:
http://www.energy.ca.gov/2014publications/CEC-600-2014-009/CEC-600-2014-009-SD-REV.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
PETITION TEXT:
Increased adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) are important for meeting California's goals of reducing carbon emissions. Some of the largest barriers to adoption are range anxiety and the inability to drive EVs long distances in our state without long stops for charging.
Deploying a network of DC fast charging (DCFC) stations along long-distance transportation corridors will enable long-distance EV travel in California, a new mode of EV travel. Establishing this network will benefit current EV users as well as draw many more people to EVs since this would reduce range anxiety as well as demonstrate that long-distance travel is practical. This network is also needed to make EVs practical for residents of the Central Valley and rural areas who require frequent long-distance travel.
DCFC investments by the CEC would also be leveraged by the existing and well-used West Coast Electric Highway that has been established by our progressive neighbor states Oregon and Washington. Extending the West Coast Electric highway to California would enable EV travel from San Diego (and Baja California) to British Columbia, making EV adoption even more attractive in our state.
It is important for this long-distance DCFC network to be deployed ASAP, with significant capability in place by the end of the 2015 calendar year. There are currently over 120,000 EVs in California, so there would be a large user base for this network right away. GM, Nissan, and other auto vendors have committed to producing more models of extended (150-200+ mi) range vehicles by the end of 2016, so the long-distance DCFC user base would grow rapidly.
The CEC currently invests on the order of $20M per year on EV infrastructure, but it has funded only 9 DCFC stations to date at an average cost of only $15,000 each (per the Jan. 2015 report, CEC-600-2014-009-SD-REV). An initial network of several dozen DCFC stations could be deployed for about 10% of the CEC's annual EV infrastructure expenditures.
We urge the CEC to implement a network of DCFCs along transportation corridors to enable long-distance EV travel in our state. This project is well-suited for the CEC to lead because it is a statewide effort that goes beyond the interests of any single region. Please show some vision and leadership by implementing a long-distance EV DCFC network in California this year.