On Nov. 9, SDG&E celebrated the 300 employees who are driving an electric vehicle (EV). By choosing to drive electric, these employees are playing a major role in reducing air emissions in San Diego. This achievement demonstrates the extensive support for transportation electrification that exists at the grassroots level at SDG&E. The company now is well on its way to successfully implementing the Race to 500, an initiative launched in 2015 that focuses on SDG&E becoming the first company in Southern California to have 500 employees driving EVs.
“This achievement is about celebrating where we are today, and where we plan to go with electrifying transportation,” said Scott Drury, SDG&E’s Chief Energy Supply Officer. “Each of our employee EV owners should feel great that they are driving cars that contribute to cleaner air in our neighborhoods and for our kids.”
The Benefits of Owning Electric Vehicles
Electric vehicles are becoming a great choice for drivers who want a high performance drive that saves money on fueling costs and helps benefit the planet. There are now more than 25 plug-in EV models on the market from every major car manufacturer. This includes the new Chevy Bolt being introduced in 2017, which can travel 238 miles on a single battery charge. State and federal incentives of up to $10,000 are also available and EV drivers can use California’ carpool lanes.
The cost savings are not the only reason to switch to an electric drive. Upgrading the transportation sector to run on electricity instead of oil also helps reduce harmful air pollutants, as the transportation sector currently accounts for approximately 40% of California’s and 54% of San Diego’s total greenhouse gas emissions.
To encourage this beneficial shift to clean electricity as a fuel, Governor Jerry Brown has called for 1.5 million zero emissions vehicles on California’s roads by 2025. This growth is expected to occur in every sector, from passenger cars and business fleets, to heavy duty trucking and transit buses. The San Diego region currently has more than 22,000 EVs driving on local roads and that number is expected to grow substantially. This growth will require new infrastructure to make sure all these new EVs have enough charging stations to fuel up.
SDG&E is Playing an Active Role in Transportation Electrification
SDG&E is committed to helping California reach this goal and has launched the Power Your Drive program to install 3,500 new electric vehicle charging stations at apartments, condos, businesses and disadvantaged communities. This will expand access to charging at these locations, where currently few if any charging stations exist, allowing residents to charge their cars on renewable energy and help clean up the air.
As access to EV charging in the community grows, SDG&E will continue to walk the talk when it comes to encouraging employees to drive EVs and is aiming to reach 500 employee EV drivers by 2020. The pioneering SDG&E employees who drive EVs are charting a new course for SDG&E and San Diego, helping to embody a cleaner and better energy future for all.
For more information, please visit sdge.com/ev.