The California Energy Commission (CEC) has selected EVgo Inc. for two proposed reliable, equitable and accessible charging (REACH) grants for multi-family housing totaling $3.6 million. These funds will be used to deploy new high-powered direct current fast chargers (DC FC) near multi-family housing (MFH) units. In addition, local community residents will be eligible for discounted EVgo rates as part of the project.
“EVgo is thrilled to work with the California Energy Commission to keep making it easier for more drivers to go electric with wider access to convenient, reliable and affordable EV charging solutions,” says Cathy Zoi, CEO at EVgo. “There are more than six million Californians like me who live in apartment buildings, and fast charging nearby is key for us to drive EVs. By partnering with the state on these grants, we can go even further to pair infrastructure for everyone with incentives for nearby residents of underserved and impacted communities – ensuring equitable access to these resources for all.”
In November 2021, the CEC released a grant solicitation and application package entitled “Reliable, Equitable, and Accessible Charging for multi-family Housing (REACH)” as part of its Clean Transportation Program. The solicitation was an offer to demonstrate replicable and scalable business and technology models for large-scale deployment of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure capable of maximizing access and EV travel for multi-family housing (MFH) residents, from DC FC nearby those residents to level 2 (L2) chargers in and around the residential buildings themselves.
The solicitation defined MFH as residential properties with multiple dwelling units, but excluded single-family dwellings (detached), duplexes, triplexes, townhomes, and mobile homes. Projects under the REACH grant must include charger installations that will benefit and be used by MFH residents within disadvantaged communities, low-income communities, or a combination of both.
“Forth is excited to partner with EVgo in providing outreach and education to communities in California to help increase awareness and understanding of the benefits and availability of electric transportation solutions in their neighborhoods,” comments Jeff Allen, executive director at Forth. “Equitable and convenient access to charging infrastructure is a key element of expanding widespread adoption of electric transportation and is a central tenet of our work.”
As part of EVgo’s commitment to Electric for All, EVgo integrates the EPA’s EJ Screening Tool – an environmental justice mapping and screening tool based on nationally consistent data – to identify potential site locations that can increase infrastructure access for low-income individuals, people of color and underserved communities, as these communities tend to have the fewest charging options while experiencing greater impacts of pollution.
