California is significantly expanding its electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, demonstrating a strong commitment to supporting the growing number of electric cars on its roads. Recent data highlights a substantial increase in the availability of Chargers Cars throughout the state, driven by new installations and more comprehensive data collection methods.
The mid-2024 update reveals a notable surge in charger numbers, largely attributed to the addition of approximately 24,000 newly installed chargers in the first half of the year. This impressive growth is also a result of incorporating additional data sources, including grant recipient reports and PlugShare, to provide a more complete picture of operational chargers cars across California.
Historically, public charger data relied on the Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC) Station Locator, managed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). California law mandates that station operators report data on publicly accessible chargers to NREL. However, analysis of PlugShare data uncovered a significant number of public chargers cars not previously listed on the AFDC. The August 2024 update marked the first-time inclusion of PlugShare data, significantly enhancing the accuracy and comprehensiveness of public charger counts.
Data on shared private chargers cars is collected through voluntary surveys distributed by the California Energy Commission (CEC). These surveys target electric vehicle service providers (EVSPs) and other organizations, such as public agencies and electric utilities. The aim is to capture the number of shared private chargers cars typically found in workplaces, multi-family housing units, fleet facilities, and other non-public locations within California.
Furthermore, in late 2023, a new reporting requirement was introduced for recipients of Clean Transportation Program grants. Grantees are now required to report data on their entire network of chargers, excluding residential chargers. The CEC analyzes survey data, grant recipient reports, AFDC data, and PlugShare data to estimate the total number of shared private chargers cars operating in California.
To ensure consistent and reliable data collection in the future, the CEC has initiated a regulatory process under Assembly Bill 2061. This initiative aims to establish a standardized system for obtaining charger data, with the expectation of receiving regular data updates starting in early 2026.
Data Sources:
- U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center Station Locator
- PlugShare DataTool
- Clean Transportation Program Grant Recipient Reported Data
- CEC Counting Chargers Surveys
Please cite use of these data and images: California Energy Commission (2023). Electric Vehicle Chargers in California. Data last updated August 26, 2024. Retrieved August 28, 2024 from https://www.energy.ca.gov/zevstats
