Irvine, California is a great destination for electric vehicle (EV) owners. With 999 public charging stations, 40 of which are free, and 98 DC fast chargers, there are plenty of options for charging up. Not only that, but vehicles that meet certain federal and California emission standards and have a DMV clean air sticker can use off-road vehicle lanes regardless of the number of occupants. The California Energy Commission (CEC) has a Clean Transportation Program (Program) to provide financial incentives to businesses, vehicle and technology manufacturers, workforce training partners, fleet owners, consumers and academic institutions.
This program is designed to develop and implement alternative and renewable fuels and advanced transportation technologies. In total, Irvine has 1275 public charging station ports (level 2 and level less than 15 km away). Converting a vehicle to run on an alternative fuel instead of the original gasoline or diesel fuel is prohibited, unless the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has evaluated and certified the adaptation system. See Title 13 of the California Code of Regulations, section 2030-2032, and the California Vehicle Code, 2715. The CEC's Clean Transportation Program offers financial incentives to businesses, vehicle and technology manufacturers, workforce training partners, fleet owners, consumers and academic institutions.
The Program provides grants for projects that reduce emissions from transportation sources such as electric vehicles, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, natural gas vehicles, propane vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and other advanced technologies. The Program also provides funding for infrastructure projects such as public charging stations for electric vehicles. These charging stations are located in public areas such as parking lots or garages. The Program also provides funding for workforce training programs that teach people how to install and maintain electric vehicle charging stations. In addition to the CEC's Clean Transportation Program, the city of Irvine also offers incentives for businesses that install electric vehicle charging stations. Businesses can receive up to $50,000 in grants for installing electric vehicle charging stations in their parking lots or garages.
The city also offers free technical assistance to businesses that are interested in installing electric vehicle charging stations. Irvine is a great place for EV owners due to its abundance of public charging stations. With the help of the CEC's Clean Transportation Program and the city's incentives for businesses that install electric vehicle charging stations, EV owners can easily find a place to charge their vehicles.