BACK WHEN PIET CANIN WAS FIRST PROMOTING ELECTRIC VEHICLES, with fairs to see them up close and test drive them, it all felt a little bit like science fiction. It was roughly 12 years ago, and options on the market were pricy and had a range of under 100 miles per charge – not really a viable option for most people, more of a curiosity. “There was a core group of diehard electric vehicle folks dating back decades,” Canin says.
Things have changed. In 2010, the California Energy Commission reports there were just two electric vehicles sold in Monterey County. It’s increased steadily every year since, to 1,347 in 2020 and 2,370 in 2021. (Statewide, there were 250,279 electric vehicles sold last year.)
“I’m really happy where it is today, but it feels like a long time coming,” Canin says. “There has been great progress but we have a lot more ground to cover. I’m happy for where we are now but I’m also like, why weren’t we here six years ago?”
Canin is strategic development director at the nonprofit Ecology Action, which is based in Santa Cruz and serves the tri-county area. The group has taken over the former entity Monterey Bay Electric Vehicle Alliance and in September, will launch a new website formalizing its rebranded initiative, EVs for Everyone (at evsforeveryone.org). “We have people coming to us more than ever, saying, ‘I don’t know anything about EVs, but I’m interested, and I want to know more and I want to know if I can afford one,’” says Sabrina Delk, electric vehicle program specialist at Ecology Action.
The irony with the adoption of zero-emission electric vehicles is that we also had a shot at developing an entirely different vehicle fleet when automobiles were brand new, before cars were mainstream. Early battery-powered vehicles can be seen driving along the green of the 18th fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links for the Concours d’Elegance in the Class A-2 category. (Last year’s first-place vehicle was a 1912 Rauch & Lang TC4 Brougham; in second was a 1905 Columbia Mark XXXV Brougham; and in third, a 1901 Columbia Mark XXXI Victoria Phaeton.)
Before combustion was king, electric vehicles were a viable option. While range was an issue even then, there were advantages – they were quieter, and didn’t require a crank to start the engine, a task that was messy and also demanded a certain degree of brute strength. But the Model T, introduced in 1908, secured the direction of cars in America (and the world) for the next 120 years.
But that is changing. By 2035, California will end the sales of gas-powered passenger cars and trucks. Electric vehicles are the past, but more importantly, they are the future.
A FEW FORCES ARE HELPING MOVE THE NEEDLE ON THE POPULARITY OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES. One is the advances in battery technology that make it possible to drive further on one charge, with some reasonably priced models offering more than 300 miles per full battery.
And there is more charging infrastructure, with over 2,000 lower-voltage charging stations on the Central Coast, and at least 287 public super-fast charging stations in three counties.
Another force is the changing economics of all-electric vehicles. What were once collectors’ items are now mainstream, with 84 all-electric models on the market today. There are more used EVs available, for as low as $7,000, and new EVs starting for as low as about $27,000.
The changing marketplace is in part due to shifting priorities (and regulatory requirements) for manufacturers, as well as a range of government incentives. For example, local agencies like the Monterey Bay Air Resources District and Central Coast Community Energy (3CE) offer local incentives and rebates, in addition to state and federal programs. (The Inflation Reduction Act also expands rebates for EVs.)
This year, 3CE budgeted $2.8 million for its Electrify Your Ride program, which offers post-purchase rebates for electric vehicles, e-bikes and the installation of EV charging stations at home. Rebates for EVs start at $2,000, and go up to $4,000 for low-income consumers. In the year-and-a-half the program has existed so far, 3CE has paid out $2.85 million for some 2,000 e-bikes, EVs and charging stations.
“With the substantial number of rebates, it does reduce the cost of these cars to something that is more palatable for your average consumer,” says Dan Bertoldi, manager of energy programs at 3CE.
Bertoldi notes the savings in fuel costs, too. The U.S. Department of Energy calculates a savings of $9,900 in fuel costs alone over five years, compared to a new gas-powered vehicle – and that was before inflation pushed gas prices to where they are today. (The average cost of a full charge at a public charging station is $12-$16.)
“Overall, the mission of our agency is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” Bertoldi says. “Our strategy is, electrify everything. If you’re going to replace your water heater or your furnace, buy electric. If you’re going to buy a car, buy electric.”
The impact can’t be overstated. The transportation sector is the single biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, comprising 28 percent of total emissions.
Even with full life-cycle impacts factored in – considering things like vehicle manufacturing and battery manufacturing – an EV today means more than 50-percent reduction in emissions over the existence of a vehicle. And that’s only likely to improve as agencies like 3CE buy more power from renewable sources.
Meanwhile, 3CE is working toward a goal to reach 100-percent renewable energy sources by 2030 (15 years ahead of the state’s goal). And regional governments are partnering to improve existing charging infrastructure. A six-county group, from Santa Barbara to San Benito, is accepting public comment (at centralcoastzevstrategy.com) for an EV infrastructure plan. They just need drivers to trade in gas-powered cars for zero-emission options.
“The biggest thing most of us can do to reduce our carbon footprint is to switch from a gas-powered car to an electric car,” Canin says.
MIKE CLANCY SPENT OVER A YEAR TRACKING HIS DREAM CAR, the Hyundai Ioniq 5, a fully electric, small SUV. “It was out for a year in Europe, and was highly rated there. It won an award as the German car of the Year, over Porsche and Audi. But they kept pushing the release date in the U.S. back and back.”
Finally, in January 2022, he and his wife found one at a Seaside dealer, bought it, and basically went off the grid. They installed a solar array on the roof of their South Salinas home. They got a Tesla battery wall, meaning they can store that power and use the sun to charge their new car and power their home appliances even at night. And the bonus is, they love the car.
“We just love driving it,” Clancy says. “It’s really quiet, really smooth and has plenty of acceleration, more than I’d ever need to use. EVs are surprisingly powerful.” (It cost about $40,000, and he got a $2,000 rebate from 3CE.)
Clancy is chair of the Monterey County chapter of the Citizens Climate Lobby, and he’s long been ready for the transition from gas to electric. Now that it’s coming fast, he expects it to keep coming faster.
“There was a time it was an oddity to see an electric car,” he says. “Ten years from now it’s going to be an oddity to see a gas-powered car. Fifteen years from now you’re not going to be able to buy them – you’re going to see them in car shows and museums, that’s it.”