The SLO County Air Pollution Control District (APCD), Community Environmental Council (CEC), Central Coast Clean Cities Coalition (C5), Ventura County Regional Energy Alliance (VCREA), and the Air Pollution Control Districts of Santa Barbara and Ventura are proud to launch Electric Drive 805. The new coalition will organize and lead local action to increase access to efficient electric vehicles, allowing communities to reduce emissions from the largest source (the cars and trucks on our roads) of pollution in the 805 regions.
The coalition’s efforts are focused on increasing awareness of the financial benefits that electric vehicles can provide, as well as, supporting the development of charging infrastructure to refuel vehicles with California’s clean electricity. To achieve these goals, the coalition’s efforts are centered on four distinct audiences: individual car owners, businesses, managers of multi-family residential properties, and local governments.
“Our goal is to make electric vehicles and charging solutions accessible to everyone in our communities,” said Cameron Gray, CEC’s Transportation and Climate Specialist. With the state’s rebate and utility programs, a new or used electric vehicle can be the most affordable option for many households. If we can increase awareness of the incentives and expand access to charging infrastructure, choosing to drive electric vehicles can be a viable transportation option resulting in cleaner air, climate protection, and reduced user costs.
To find out more about all the work this coalition is doing, visit the new website, ElectricDrive805.org. SLO County APCD also has grant opportunities available now for commercial zero-emission vehicle infrastructure projects! Find out more and see how you can apply by visiting the SLO County APCD’s website at SLOCleanAir.org.