 SANTA BARBARA — Community Environmental Council (CEC) is proud to announce the launch of “Electric Drive 805,” a new coalition of local government agencies and nonprofits that will lead local efforts to increase access to affordable electric vehicles. CEC is a leading member of the group, which includes the Central Coast Clean Cities Coalition (C5), the Ventura County Regional Energy Alliance (VCREA), and the Air Pollution Control Districts (APCD) of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.
Electric Drive 805 is pursuing two main avenues to boost electric vehicle ownership: increasing awareness of the financial benefits of driving an electric car, and supporting the installation of electric charging stations. The coalition will work on these efforts with drivers, fleet operators, local businesses, property managers, and local governments.
With state and utility rebates, which can be stacked together, drivers can buy or lease a new electric vehicle for less than a similar-sized car that uses gasoline or diesel.
- The California Clean Vehicle Rebate Project (CVRP) provides rebates of $1,500-$2,500 for the lease or purchase of a new electric vehicle, and eligible low-to-moderate income households receive an additional $2,000 rebate.
- The state’s Clean Vehicle Assistance Program provides down payment rebates of up to $5,000 for new or used electric cars that are purchased by low-to-moderate income households.
- Pacific Gas & Electric offers an $800 rebate and Southern California Edison offers a $1,000 rebate.
“Bringing renewable energy and clean transportation solutions to local communities are top priorities in our work to combat climate change,” stated Sigrid Wright, CEO/Executive Director of CEC. “Since transportation is responsible for the largest percentage of California’s greenhouse gas emissions and is the second largest cost for many households, electric vehicles present a unique opportunity to move the needle on climate change while also reducing a financial burden for families in the 805 region.”
CEC’s transportation efforts, including Electric Drive 805, support California’s larger goal of having 5 million electric cars on the road by 2030. The nonprofit also engages in other public outreach efforts toward this goal, such as the Green Car Show at their annual Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival and electric car shows during National Drive Electric Week. In addition, they help bolster infrastructure, including recently leading a separate coalition of 23 organizations to develop an EV Ready Blueprint for Ventura County that places special emphasis on projects to expand access to electric vehicles in low-income and disadvantaged communities. This effort aims to create a replicable model for statewide transportation electrification that will deliver direct benefits to all California communities.
To find more information about the resources Electric Drive 805 has to offer, visit www.ElectricDrive805.org. While there, sign up for the mailing list to stay up-to-date on the latest news and incentives for electric vehicle ownership. You can also look for the group at upcoming events, including the Green Car Show at CEC’s Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival on April 27-28, 2019. |
