In honor of National Drive Electric Week, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law half a dozen bills to further strengthen California’s EV market. In 2012, Governor Brown set a target of 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles on the road in California by 2025. California accounts for 40% of US plug-in sales, and recently surpassed the 100,000-vehicle milestone.

The latest round of EV-boosting bills:

• AB 1721 grants free or reduced rates in high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes to “clean air vehicles.”
• AB 2013 increases to 70,000 the number of “partial zero-emission vehicles” that may be allowed in high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes, regardless of occupancy level.
• AB 2090 repeals the level of service requirements on HOT lanes for the San Diego Association of Governments and the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, and directs them to work with the California Department of Transportation to develop appropriate performance measures.
• AB 2565 requires commercial and residential property owners to approve installation of an EV charging station by renters, so long as the station meets requirements.
• SB 1275 creates the Charge Ahead California Initiative, which provides incentives to increase the availability of zero-emission vehicles in low-income communities.
• SB 1298 makes the pilot projects for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s operation of HOT lanes on State Highway Routes 10 and 110 permanent.

RELATED: Eight states announce major EV incentives

Source: California Governor’s Office
Image: Nicolas Raymond