California Demands VW Build Electric Charging Stations in Poor Neighborhoods
As part of its emissions cheating penance, Volkswagen AG previously agreed to support clean vehicles by injecting a juicy $2 billion into green initiatives in the United States. A whopping $800 million of that sum was reserved for California. On Thursday, state legislators pressed the automaker to spend electric charging infrastructure funds in low-income areas, passing a bill included in a budget package supported by Governor Jerry Brown.
The reasoning behind forcing VW to install more charging stations in disadvantaged communities is twofold. First, and most obviously, is the fact that poorer neighborhoods typically don’t receive the same level of infrastructure advancement as affluent or high traffic areas. In fact, they’re probably the last place the state would bother installing EV charging stations. Secondly, it’s a good way to keep this punishment from becoming a business opportunity.
Criticism arose when rival automakers realized Volkswagen’s charging network could become profitable and give it an early advantage in a competitive new market, especially if it could handpick the sites.
Volkswagen initially proposed spending $120 million on about 400 highway and community charging stations by 2019. However, the locations it chose were often the same pieces of real estate competitors may have desired. While these stations would definitely have seen regular use, state officials have made it clear they want to promote clean cars in poorer communities.
Last month, the California Air Resources Board told VW to “make every attempt” to reserve 35 percent of its first 30-month investment cycle for disadvantaged communities “disproportionately affected by air pollution,” according to Reuters. Still, fears remained that Volkswagen would simply ignore the plea.
The California bill makes that 35 percent mandatory and requires the board of directors to approve all plans relating to the charging network to be approved at public hearings. It also provides additional oversight for VW’s Electrify America — the unit responsible for the infrastructure project. While we cannot authoritatively say Volkswagen would not have adhered to CARB’s initial appeal to support economically downtrodden areas, Electrify America’s photo of a gentleman wearing trendy salmon-colored slacks while charging his car suggests it might not have been their first priority. All things considered, California passing legalization on the matter was probably in its best interest.
Governor Brown has not yet signed the bill, though he has previously indicated his full support the budgeting package.
[Image: Electrify America]
A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.
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What next, Jerry Brown? Require Church's Chicken to open in Beverly Hills??
I can see both sides, but, isn't there a better idea? Instead of building standalone electric charging stations, why not add these to existing gas station mini-mart locations? Add a couple of charging stations off to the side, where cars could be left. The stations would have to be 24/7 locations, and would have (or could add) surveillance cameras. Charging stations will naturally become more ubiquitous as the electrification of cars increase, but what's the point of building standalone stations without any idea of how many people will use them?