The Bay Area is gearing up for an electric future with the Bay Area Air District's recent announcement of the Charge! Program. The initiative aims to increase the number of electric vehicle (EV) chargers through a substantial grant offering, as reported by the Bay Area Air District. With a pot of at least $10 million, the program accepts grant applications from businesses, homeowner associations, non-profits, public agencies, and tribes to cover purchasing and installing EV chargers.
The grants target various establishments, including multi-family housing facilities, destinations, transit parking locations, and workplaces throughout the Bay Area. "As EV adoption rises, ensuring access to convenient, reliable charging infrastructure where people live, work and shop is essential," Dr. Philip Fine, Air District executive officer, emphasized, per the Bay Area Air District.
An overarching vision is to evolve the Bay Area's transportation landscape sustainably, as the program envisions a whopping 90 percent of the area's vehicle fleet to be electric by 2050. This initiative not only promises to expand the EV charger network but also ensures the inclusion of disadvantaged and low-income communities in the transition to clean transportation. The Charge! Program's funding strategy includes a surcharge on motor vehicles registered in the Bay Area, a practice that's been fueling clean-air vehicle programs since 1991.
