County Receives $4.7 Million Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Grant

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(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) –The County has received a proposed grant award of $4.7 million from the California Energy Commission to develop electric vehicle charging infrastructure.  This was the second highest recommended grant award given.  This grant requires a $2.3 million match from the County in staff time and capital investment. 

The funds will support the County with its Zero Emission Vehicle transition by installing 114 Level-2 and 36 level-3 charging ports at 14 locations throughout the County.  The competitive grant was put together by the County’s General Services Department, with support from the Community Services Department and Terra Lumina Consulting.

The grants were offered to fund projects that:

• Support electrification of light-duty government fleets in California by providing reliable and readily accessible electric vehicle charging infrastructure dedicated for these fleets.
• Support local government goals of sustainability and/or climate action plans.
• Reduce vehicle emissions in disadvantaged and/or low-income communities

The County of Santa Barbara has made significant strides in its electric vehicle program, which has grown steadily since 2013. What began with the introduction of just four all-electric vehicles into the County’s motorpool has since expanded into a fleet of 93 electric vehicles. As the County progresses with its Zero Emission Vehicle Policy, the goal is to install sufficient charging infrastructure to sustain the entire vehicle fleet and ensure vehicles are adequately charged when needed. To support this growth, the County has also developed an extensive network of charging stations. A total of 217 charging stations have been deployed throughout the region, ensuring easy access for both the County’s vehicle fleet, employees, and the public. The success of the transition to an all-electric vehicle fleet is a major lever in reducing operating costs and greenhouse gas emissions.

The deadline to install the new chargers is April 30, 2028.  Once they are installed the County will have more than 367 chargers installed at County facilities throughout the county.