Increasing Access to
Zero Emission Vehicles

The adoption of zero emission vehicles (ZEV) is more complicated than just people purchasing them. An infrastructure needs to be in place to accomodate for this increased use of ZEVs -- the most obvious being the electrical grid.

Here we explore more about the electical grid, its stress under extreme weather, and its ability to take on increased load of electric-vehicle charging.

Stressors to the grid make it difficult to support zero-emission vehicle adoption

Grid Overview


This is the basic framework of the electrical grid. It includes generators, lines, and substations. When the grid is stressed, a breakdown of any of these parts will affect the ability to provide electricity to industry, commercial, and residential.

Extreme Weather as a Grid Stressor


Extreme weather negatively impacts ability to provide consistent electricity.

Burillo et al.’s (2019) case study on current and future stresses to electricity infrastructure in Los Angeles County, California found that rising air temperatures exacerbate grid vulnerabilities by increasing risks of electrical grid overload and failure.

How does this relate to ZEV access?
In extreme weather events, electricity might need to be shut off, preventing people from charging their vehicles. Outages could last for days on end, hindering the use of EVs.

Example: 2023 January Mass Power Outages in California


Most recently we've seen California's grid stressed under extreme weather conditions of winter storms, high winds, and heavy rainfall.

The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services reported over 424,000 people without power at one time. Power outages lasted for, with some communities without power for over 4 consecutive days.

PG&E fixing powerlines (LA Times, 2023)

PG&E outage map for Jan. 4, 2023 (Lake County News, 2023)

At-Home Vehicle Charging as a Grid Stressor


More than half of households in California lack access to new loads of electricity for vehicle charging:

Upgrades to the electrical grid or increased residential solar photovoltaic (PV) adoption is necessary to meet the demands of additional energy-intensive applications, such as electric vehicle charging.

However, the grid likely also lacks adequate hosting for mass adoption and installation of solar PV.

Grid constraints on solar PV adoption include thermal constraints, power quality constraints, protection grid constraints, as well as physical building suitability for PV installation.

Access to public charging affects adoption of zero-emission vehicles


Availability of charging infrastructure can play a large role in if an individual considers purchasing an electric vehicle because having access to charging is essential in the operation of the vehicle.

People who are in the most need of access to public chargers include:

  • People without off-street parking
  • Apartment residents who have lower access to home chargers
  • People who rent homes without chargers– neither the renters nor the landlords may want to pay for the upgrade
  • People with range anxiety who are traveling long distances

Often the people who match the descriptions of those who are in the most need of access to public chargers are located in poorer or more disadvantaged communities. Hsu and Fingerman (2021) found that public electric vehicle charger access generally increases with income. In addition, gaps in public electric vehicle access also exist among different racial groups.

See how access to public chargers in counties in California differ.
Click on a county on the map, or select an area or one dot on the scatterplot.

What is being done to increase access to charging?
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (2021)

Dedicates $7.5 billion to building a national network of 500 thousand electric vehicle chargers. $383 million is allocated for California.


ZEV Fueling Infrastructure Grants

$600 million dedicated by California’s 2022-23 budget. Prioritization of fast chargers.


Personal circumstances affect adoption of zero-emission vehicles

What factors play a role in an individual's decision to purchase a gas-powered vehicle (ICE) or a zero emissions vehicle (ZEV)?

1. Cost of Ownership

Capital cost of the vehicle

Lifetime fuel costs

Maintenance costs

Repair costs

2. Societal Factors
  • Economic and regulatory environments
    - How do policies passed affect consumer decisions on vehicle purchases?
    - The Inflation Reduction Act passed in 2022 provides tax credits of $7,500 for people who purchased electric vehicles, both new and used.
  • Fueling Infrastructure
    - Does the area I live in have proper system integration, such as EV charging, for me to own a EV?
  • Vehicle Performance and Features
    - How might price, fuel economy, comfort, and reliability affect consumer choice on what vehicle to buy?
3. Psychological Factors
  • Lifestyle
    - Does the vehicle fit the needs of my lifestyle, leisure and work?
  • Self-image
    - Does the vehicle you drive portray something about yourself?
    - Vehicles are sometimes used as status symbols.
  • Values
    - How might the purchases we make reflect our values?

Conclusion

With the push for more sustainable mode of passenger transportation, it is important to understand that access to these vehicles and the infrastructure needed to sustain them is not equal.

People who might want to transition to a ZEV can not because they do not have access to charging or the cars on the market do not fit their needs.

As we grow more reliant on electricity to light our homes, power our electronics, cook our food, and charge our vehicles, how does the electrical grid need to evolve to provide enough power for everyone?

Where next?

Explore the Emissions of a Vehicle

Calculate the lifetime emissions of any vehicle
with our Emissions Explorer tool.

Emissions Explorer
Who Made This?

See our sources, report, and more on our explorer tool.

About Us
Astoria Ho, Clara Hu, Josh Everts -- MIMS '23 Capstone Project