San Diego Regional Plan to Support Plug-in Electric Vehicle Readiness: The San Diego Regional Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Working Group and Plug-in Electric Vehicle Readiness Plan
The San Diego region has been a national leader in plug-in electric vehicle adoption. This document serves as the Final Report by the San Diego Association of Governments pursuant to its Agreement ARV-11-004 with the California Energy Commission under solicitation PON-09-602 for regional Plug-in Electric Vehicle readiness. The project developed a San Diego regional Plug-in Electric Vehicle strategic plan for electric vehicle supply equipment and established best practices to address readiness barriers across local jurisdictions.
The project comprised four primary tasks: establish the San Diego Regional Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Working Group, create best practice materials to address barriers to deployment of Plug-in Electric Vehicle chargers, develop the San Diego Regional Plug-in Electric Vehicle Readiness Plan, and distribute these materials. Project methods were to utilize the California Center for Sustainable Energy to assist in working group meetings, Regional Electric Vehicle Infrastructure materials, and outreach; and to leverage existing Plug-in Electric Vehicle efforts to bring real-time information and issues to the Regional Electric Vehicle Infrastructure.
Major findings included regional Plug-in Electric Vehicle adoption exceeding 4,000 vehicles and almost 500 publicly accessible electric vehicle supply equipment by January 2014, compared with less than 40 electric vehicle supply equipment operating in late 2011. Results include the Plug-in Electric Vehicle Readiness Plan being referenced in local Climate Action Plans and the San Diego Association of Governments Energy Roadmap Program for local governments. Best practice materials such as an electric vehicle supply equipment request for proposal template, a guide for siting electric vehicle supply equipment at transit or park-and-ride stations, and a technical policy on parking accessibility for electric vehicle supply equipment have been utilized by several agencies.
Project conclusions are that the Regional Electric Vehicle Infrastructure played a critical role in Plug-in Electric Vehicle market growth within San Diego County. A broad array of regional stakeholders contributed to the readiness plan and without a coordinating council, greater barriers would continue to stifle market development. Project recommendations are for continued collaboration amongst public agencies, greater public and stakeholder outreach, and continued state resources and assistance.
