The Electric Car Sharing Outlook

Affordable car sharing operating with a fleet electric vehicles provides the solution studies say can have a huge impact on greenhouse gas emissions

December 26, 2019 04:04 AM

By Eric Schaal

CheatSheet

Consider the hurdles Los Angeles faces in making citywide transportation greener and electric vehicles more accessible to low-income residents: Only one-quarter of trips are made on foot, on bike, or on mass transit in the city. Meanwhile, snarling traffic and runaway greenhouse gas emissions hamper mobility and keep residents of the poorest neighborhoods shrouded in smog. A much as they might want a Tesla or even a modest EV, the price tag is too high. Besides, where would those living in multifamily housing charge their cars?

Enter the California Air Resources Board (CARB) with a car-sharing program that addresses most of these issues in a single broad stroke. CARB announced it awarded $1.7 million in grant money to double car sharing in LA with 100 EVs and hybrids as well as 110 new Level 2 charging stations in communities designated among the 10% most in need.

According to CARB, over 7,000 Angelenos in working-class communities will have access to the car sharing program, bringing them the opportunity to utilize zero-emissions vehicles and improve personal mobility while keeping new cars off the road. The innovative program is part of California’s mission to increase electric vehicle adoption to 1.5 million cars by 2025 and cut oil use in half by 2030, noted in a release by State Senate President Pro Tempore Kevin De Leon, a champion of green car initiatives.

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