With the growth of electric vehicles across the country, several EV industry organizations have come together and launched the California-based Electric Vehicle Charging Association (EVCA). The non-profit was formed to achieve clean transportation by advancing the continued innovation in the EV charging industry. The organization has also released a new report, “The State of the Charge,” a report documenting the charging industry’s rapid growth in California and the significant economic opportunity it presents for the state. Founding members of EVCA are ABM, ChargePoint, Clean Fuel Connection, Envision Solar, EV Connect, NRG EVgo, Plugless Power, SeaWave Battery, and Volta, all of which are headquartered or maintain a significant presence in California.
“Ubiquitous charging is critical to the mass adoption of electric vehicles,” said Terry O’Day, vice president west region NRG EVgo, the nation’s largest provider of public DC fast chargers. “The charging industry is committed to making electric vehicles accessible to everyone and to improving and simplifying the charging experience.”
According to The State of the Charge, there are now more than 9,000 public and workplace charging outlets in California, and the number hits 20,000 when home chargers are factored in. California has 40 percent of the U.S. EV market with 150,000 EVs on the roads, and the number of public/workplace charging stations has grown 652 percent since 2011. The EV industry is expected to generate nearly $4.5 billion in California sales and services by 2023, in part driven by Gov. Jerry Brown’s call for 1 million zero-emission vehicles on the roads by 2020. He has also signed into law SB350 to expand EV charging.
California leads the development of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, technology, and services,” noted Colleen Quinn, Vice President of Government Relations and Public Policy for ChargePoint, North America’s largest EV charging network. “The continued growth and diversity of this industry is critical to meeting California’s ambitious clean air and climate protection goals, and the EV industry supports more than 2,000 California jobs.”
During the launch announcement, speakers noted that In creating the trade association, the EV charging industry is taking an important step to help shape California’s growing EV infrastructure, advocate for policies to advance clean transportation, and serve as a resource for information and expertise. Efforts will focus on creating an environment that maintains the highest levels of innovation and creates maximum value for EV drivers.