Greater Los Angeles charges up EV infrastructure ahead of state deadlines

The race is on to install more electric vehicle chargers to meet California’s ambitious goal of 100% zero-emission vehicle sales by 2035. The Golden State will need 1 million public chargers by 2030 to accommodate that goal, according to energy experts.

The government is driving electric vehicle adoption with streamlined permitting, mandates for charging stations in new developments, and government funding to support infrastructure, Jost said.

UCLA used part of a state grant to install California’s first electric road system. Inductive charging coils below a mile-long section of road on campus allow for the wireless charging of the school’s new fleet of electric passenger shuttles and heavy-duty buses while the vehicle drives.

Static wireless charging at passenger pick-up and drop-off locations, including the new UCLA transit hub, can also charge vehicles while they are stopped.

“If adopted widely, this innovation could revolutionize transit electrification,” said Jared Schnader, senior director at Calstart, the clean transportation nonprofit group that funded the project.