Last year, California achieved a major milestone in its transition to electric vehicles (EVs) as well as in reaching its goal of banning the sale of new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035. The goal reached was that the number of EV charging stations surpassed the number of gas nozzles statewide. By the end of 2024, there were 170,500 electric charging stations compared to 120,000 gasoline pumps. California is a clear leader in supporting sustainable transportation, as the growth of publicly accessible charging ports demonstrates. The $150 million that California received from the federal government helped finance this expansion.
Most of these chargers are Level 2, which means they provide between 14 and 35 miles of range per hour of charging. The ratio of Level 2 chargers to fast chargers is almost tenfold — 162,000 to 17,000. Supercharging ports add 200 miles of driving following a 15-minute charge. This imbalance between the two types of chargers is partially explained by demand, since most hybrid vehicles cannot use fast chargers. Home installations of EV chargers have also increased with more than 700,000 Level 2 chargers now in single family homes. This private sector investment complements the push from the state and the federal government to expand the public network.
It is noteworthy that the state has put special emphasis on charging investments in hard-to-reach areas. Millions of dollars in federal grants helped spread charging stalls into underserved communities across the state. This focus on equity as well as the rapid adoption of EVs is unfortunately facing a big push back from the new federal administration. Since the beginning of this year, the Trump Administration has promoted directives favoring gasoline-powered cars. Grants for the expansion of EV charging networks across the country are being halted, even when already approved.
Musk’s unelected but significant role in “improving government efficiency” at the federal level has produced massive outrage and opposition. A couple of years ago, Tesla made available their supercharging stations to other EV brands. Its network of fast chargers has become a vital profit center for him — an estimated $1.74 billion in 2023. Because of political opposition, there is a movement by EV owners away from using the Tesla superchargers.
California will continue along its path to clean energy, zero-emission vehicles, and a robust network of EV charging stations but might be slowed by countervailing winds from the federal government.
