Editor's note: California regulators just approved the smaller, 1-year proposals described here. Their ruling on the bigger, longer-term proposals is expected any time.
Electrifying the transportation sector is no small task. The California Public Utilities Commission recently approved a first round of pilot proposals to electrify transportation from the state's investor-owned utilities (IOUs). A second, bigger round of proposals is pending. These pilots will cost a combined $1.3 billion and go beyond Gov. Jerry Brown (D)'s plan to have 1.5 million zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) on the road by 2025. The approved and proposed pilot projects would cover the gamut of possible ways to boost electric vehicle deployment including rate designs, smart charger buildout, public education efforts, and help for utilities to avoid upgrade costs. These new proposed projects are not just focused on cars — they also focus on school and transit buses as well.