California has reached a new milestone in zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) adoption, with nearly one-third of all new vehicles sold in the state now being clean cars. Governor Gavin Newsom commented on the achievement, stating, “This is unprecedented – we’re nearing a third of all new vehicles sold in the fourth largest economy on the planet being clean cars. We’re setting new records because this state believes in innovation, not isolation. While Trump sells out American innovation to China, California will keep charging ahead on our path to a future of cleaner air.”
Nancy Skinner, California Energy Commissioner, highlighted the significance of this progress: “This is a defining moment for California’s ZEV progress and sends a clear message to Washington: ZEVs are here to stay. The work and investments by the California Energy Commission (CEC), and its agency and industry partners, to expand the state’s network of EV chargers has resulted in nearly every Californian living within 10 minutes of an EV fast charger. Now, new EV owners can enjoy a great driving experience bidding goodbye to smelly gas stations, messy oil changes, and costly engine tune-ups.”
Lauren Sanchez, Chair of the California Air Resources Board, addressed federal policy challenges while emphasizing California’s continued efforts: “While the federal government stumbles backward with reckless rollbacks and short-sighted policies, California charges ahead lighting the path to a cleaner, more prosperous future. From pioneering clean transportation in the 1970s to becoming the world’s 4th largest economy today, we’ve proven time and again that protecting air quality and the climate isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s smart economic policy.”
The diversity of ZEV options has also grown; there were 146 ZEV models available in Q1 this year compared to 105 models last year. In Q3 alone, Californians purchased 124,755 ZEVs—of which 108,685 were electric vehicles—marking a nearly 30% increase in EV sales over Q2.
On October 8th, California became the first state nationwide to adopt regulations aimed at improving EV charger reliability and reporting. These rules are expected to set standards for publicly funded fast chargers across the country and ensure accurate data collection on charger operations within California.
During its October business meeting, the CEC approved two projects under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program that will add 64 fast chargers along key highways. The commission also authorized grants for repairing or installing additional chargers—including support for non-operational public units—and awarded over $10 million for more than 1,000 Level 2 charging ports focused mainly on low-income or affordable multifamily housing complexes.
Statewide infrastructure continues expanding with more than 200,000 publicly accessible charging stations now available throughout California at locations such as grocery stores and park-and-ride lots. Shared private chargers are also increasingly found at apartment buildings and workplaces. This public network complements an estimated 800,000 home-installed EV chargers.
Low-income residents have access to grants and rebates that help make purchasing ZEVs more affordable through programs listed at ClimateAction.ca.gov or ElectricForAll.org.
The CEC remains central in these developments as it advances energy policy goals including supporting renewable energy growth and transforming transportation systems across California.
