With the historic passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), states are beginning to see real dollars helping to accelerate electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure development to meet the needs of residents and businesses alike.
Included in the IIJA’s passage is $18.6 billion for new and existing EV-related programs: $5 billion for a nationwide network of 500,000 EV charging stations, $2.5 billion for public alternative fuel infrastructure — from EV charging stations to hydrogen, propane, and natural gas fueling infrastructure — and $10.9 billion to purchase near-zero and zero-emission school buses, transit buses, and passenger ferries.
For years, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has been sweetening the EV pot by offering incentives to support development of onsite infrastructure for fleets and Business EV rate plans to provide ongoing electrification savings.
California Gets the Green Light
Created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the U.S. Joint Office of Energy and Transportation will provide oversight and support to programs looking to deploy charging and zero-emission fueling infrastructure. The office recently approved California’s plan for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Program, which provides funding to states to not only deploy EV chargers, but also establish an unified network for improved data collection, availability, and dependability.
The approval will further accelerate California’s EV Infrastructure funding by
- sending an initial $56 million in funding to help install charging stations throughout the state.
- receiving up to $384 million during the next five years
- adding this new funding to California’s existing $10 billion, multiyear investment to accelerate zero-emission vehicle adoption by lowering vehicle costs and expanding state-wide charging infrastructure.
Utility Helps Pave Path Forward
PG&E offers a multitude of options for businesses and fleets looking to electrify. The EV Fleet program offers incentives and rebates to help bring down the total cost of ownership and make electrification more affordable. PG&E experts help fleets through key steps of the process including site design, construction, activation, and upgrades. By 2024, PG&E strives to assist more than 700 company sites convert their fleets to EVs, with a goal of more than 6,500 EVs deployed across medium- and heavy-duty applications. The program offers sizable funding totaling $236 million that is stackable with grant funding opportunities along with the Business EV rates. By combining the two, fleets can significantly cut the costs of transitioning their fleets to zero-emission battery-electric vehicles.
According to estimates, fleets have seen savings of up to 53% on charging costs compared to other commercial rate plans. Compared to gas and diesel, the Business EV rate plan has an estimated savings up to 50% on fuel costs. In most cases, the estimated price of an eGallon ranges from $1.80 to $2.60.
PG&E’s Business EV rate plans benefit businesses that have on-site EV charging. These rates were designed for customers with separately metered EV charging at locations such as workplaces, multi-unit dwellings, and retail locations, as well as sites with fleets and fast-charging stations.
PG&E’s Business EV rates are designed to reduce EV charging costs by encouraging charging at off-peak times when energy demand is lower taking advantage of renewable generation. By enrolling in the rate, businesses pay for fuel via a monthly subscription charge, which they can choose based on their charging needs. The subscription charge allows customers to choose the amount of power they need for their charging stations, similar to choosing a data plan for a phone bill. This subscription level can be adjusted throughout the month to avoid overcharge fees and allows customers to have control over their monthly costs.
PG&E always encourages EV drivers to enroll in time-of-use rates, which provide a price signal encouraging drivers to charge when energy tends to be inexpensive, or in the middle of the day when low-cost renewable energy is plentiful.
Learn more about PG&E’s Business EV Rate and start saving today.
