Press Releases

2021 Press Releases

7-6-21: SLO County APCD and SLOCOG Announce $2.3 Million to Install Electric Vehicle Chargers

San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District (SLO County APCD) and San Luis Obispo Council of Governments (SLOCOG) are excited to announce the upcoming regional launch of the California Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Project (CALeVIP) on July 27. CALeVIP, administered by the nonprofit Center for Sustainable Energy, is an effort to accelerate the installation of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations throughout select regions in California. The program is funded with a combination of California Energy Commission funds and local funds. The tri-county region includes Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura counties. In San Luis Obispo County, approximately $2.3 million will be awarded to fund an estimated 235 new chargers.

CALeVIP is a first-come, first-served program that offers rebates for the purchase and installation of Level 2 charging stations and DC fast chargers at a variety of location types. This project requires 50% of the total funds in each county to be invested in low-income communities. Here is a timeline of important dates for interested parties:

July 15: Project Requirements Webinar (10am-12pm)
July 27: Launch Date

The July 15 virtual workshop will allow interested parties to gain guidance on the application process and requirements ahead of the July 27 launch date. Register here.

In some areas of the state where CALeVIP has already been implemented, the response has been swift — many times, the totality of funds reserved for an entire region have been spoken for within hours of program launch. SLO County APCD & SLOCOG strongly encourage all interested parties to attend the webinar and start working with eligible EV charger vendors to get application materials ready to submit when the program launches. For more information about program requirements, view the project website here.

The push to increase EV charging infrastructure across California is in line with the State’s goals related to zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs): 1.5 million ZEVs on the road and 250,000 chargers by

2025 and 5 million ZEVs by 2030, with a goal of all new light-duty cars, trucks, and SUVs sold to be ZEVs by 2035. The CALeVIP regional project areas were selected by the California Energy Commission after analyzing where to fill charging infrastructure gaps as we move closer to these target years. Passenger cars and trucks account for a significant amount of pollution, greenhouse gases, and air toxics; switching from gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles to zero-emission versions brings notable environmental benefits.

“Our agency has been working hard for several years to help meet the rapidly increasing demand for EV charging stations in our community and CAleVIP will do just that. Support from the APCD Board of Directors, local jurisdictions, business owners and community members made this possible,” said Gary Willey, SLO County APCD Executive Director. “CALeVIP presents an opportunity to significantly expand EV charging access in critical areas in our local region and meet the state required milestones ahead of us.”

"The South-Central Coast Incentive Project, as part of the California Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Project (CALeVIP), provides resources to fund electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the San Luis Obispo Region to ensure that mobility choices meet the needs of the next generation of travelers," said San Luis Obispo Council of Governments Executive Director, Peter Rodgers. "The installation of more Level 2 and DC Fast Chargers will put the San Luis Obispo Region on the map as a leader in innovative, clean transportation solutions.”

SLO County APCD and SLOCOG have a long history of working closely with partners in the tri-counties on electric vehicle planning and implementation. SLO County APCD serves on the Electric Drive 805 coalition’s steering committee, which also includes the Community Environmental Council, Central Coast Clean Cities Coalition (C5), Ventura County Regional Energy Alliance, and the air pollution control districts of Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. This regional CALeVIP application was a joint effort involving the steering committee members of Electric Drive 805 as well as Central Coast Community Energy (3CE), Clean Power Alliance, and SLOCOG.

To learn more about SLO County APCD’s involvement with EV infrastructure, visit SLOCleanAir.org/community/grants/altfuel. To find more information about the resources Electric Drive 805 has to offer, visit ElectricDrive805.org.

To learn more about the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments, visit SLOCOG.org.