For nearly eighty years, Southern California has suffered from the worst air pollution in the nation. While our region has made amazing progress to clean our air since the 1940s, we still have a long way to go. 

Our region has been on our own for many years with other areas of the country seeing air pollution as a California problem. But due to the growing recognition in Washington, DC, that we need to reduce carbon emissions, California benefits because many of the solutions that will help us cut carbon emissions are the same ones that will reduce air pollution. The bulk of the solution is the move to zero-emission vehicles.

The largest effort to push for clean cars and trucks is President Biden’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), a once-in-a-generation investment. Enacted in 2022, we are beginning to see the law’s funding flow across the country to modernize our transportation and infrastructure systems in America – and not just California. Of the $1.2 trillion investment, more than $7.5 billion is funding the buildout of electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure. This is an addition to the roughly $47 billion previously funded through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to support the adoption of EVs through tax credits. Thankfully, California is a major beneficiary of this funding. 

And let’s not forget to highlight the substantial investment our state is also making. The California Energy Commission (CEC) approved $1.9 billion to accelerate buildout of zero-emission transportation infrastructure including EV charging. 

These investments have sent a clear signal to vehicle manufacturers, EV charger producers, and the utility companies – the time to transition to clean technologies is upon us. But is this signal and these investments reaching the most important consumers - low-income individuals who are disproportionately impacted by poor air quality produced by internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. 

The reality is no. 

Cost is still one of the major barriers to making the switch to electric. While the Tesla Model 3 has become the top selling vehicle in California it still comes in at just under $39,000, before an EV tax credit. A Nissan Leaf comes in at about $29,000. Both of which are a significant investment for anyone living in California, regardless of their income level. And the used EV market is not thriving as once was expected. 

The average price for a used EV has fallen below that of a gas-powered used car, which you would think is a positive. However, if low-income individuals are tentative of EV technology and lack equal access to charging at home or in their communities – these used cars will not find their target consumer. 

Additionally, while we are seeing more charging projects come to fruition, they are behind the target dates our state and federal governments had initially committed to and riddled with problems. Many reports highlight chargers that are unusable or do not have the capacity to meet the needs of a community, causing significant wait times. All these factors contribute to the slow adoption of EVs throughout the state. 

If we hope to have a true transition to EVs we need to ensure that the low-income communities that are most impacted are not just involved but prioritized. Doing so will not only improve the well-being of these communities, but will help all Californians breathe easier. 

In health, 

Marc

In Health,"

Marc Carrel 

President & CEO