Thursday 1 September 2022

Days after banning petrol cars, Californians urged not to charge EVs

California passed a move to ban all new petrol-powered vehicles from its roads at the end of last week – but has since advised its citizens not to charge their electric vehicles (EVs) amidst an ongoing heatwave.

State residents have been asked to cut energy usage between 4 and 9pm – the time when the California Independent System Operator (CA ISO) states “the system is the most stressed because demand for electricity remains high.”

People have been asked not to charge their cars during these hours, avoid using large appliances and turn off unnecessary lights.

The move has been made to ensure less power outages occur but has sparked criticism from residents, asking the question of if the network is already unable to take the demands of electric cars, what will be in store by 2035?

By 2026, 35% of new cars sold in the state will need to be zero-emission vehicles, to stay on track for the 2035 end date, with this rising to 51% in 2028 and 68% by 2030.

Aside from the stress on the grid, a mass installation of EV charging stations will be needed, despite California having the most in the US.

Officials have stated that 2.1 million will need to be installed by 2030, with 73,000 public chargers currently in place – 54,000 short of the state’s current goal.

California is expected to experience temperatures of up to 37°C this weekend.

An officer from the CA ISO stated: “It’s too soon to tell what the impacts of the 2035 ban will be, but for now, we are asking EV owners to avoid charging during 4-9 pm on Flex Alert days, if possible.

“Instead, consumers can charge EVs earlier in the day, when solar supply is abundant and electricity prices likely lower.”