Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Promotion Plan

All California state agencies must support and facilitate the rapid commercialization of ZEVs in California. In particular, the Air Resources Board, Energy Commission (CEC), Public Utilities Commission, and other relevant state agencies must work with the private sector to establish benchmarks to achieve targets for ZEV commercialization and deployment. These targets include:

  • By 2020, the state will have established adequate infrastructure to support one million ZEVs;
  • By 2025, there will be 1.5 million ZEVs on the road in California and clean, efficient vehicles will displace 1.5 billion gallons of petroleum fuels annually;
  • By 2025, there will be 200 hydrogen fueling stations and 250,000 electric vehicle (EV) chargers, including 10,000 direct current fast chargers, in California;
  • By 2030, there will be 5 million ZEVs on the road in California; and
  • By 2050, greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector will be 80% less than 1990 levels.
State agencies must also work with their stakeholders to accomplish the following:
  • Develop new criteria for clean vehicle incentive programs to encourage manufacturers to produce clean, affordable cars;
  • Update the 2016 ZEV Action plan, with a focus on low income and disadvantaged communities;
  • Recommend actions to increase the deployment of ZEV infrastructure through the Low Carbon Fuel Standard;
  • Support and recommend policies that will facilitate the installation of EV infrastructure in homes and businesses; and
  • Ensure EV charging and hydrogen fueling are affordable and accessible to all drivers.
The ZEV promotion plan additionally directs the state fleet to increase the number of ZEVs in the fleet through gradual vehicle replacement. By 2020, ZEVs should make up at least 25% of the fleet’s light-duty vehicles. Vehicles with special performance requirements necessary for public safety and welfare are exempt from this requirement. For more information about the plan, see CEC’s ZEVs and Infrastructure Update.

(Reference Executive Order B-16, 2012, Executive Order B-48, 2018, and Executive Orders N-19-19, 2019)

Jurisdiction: California

Type: Laws and Regulations

Enacted: Mar 23, 2012

Amended: Jan 26, 2018

Technologies: EVs, Hydrogen Fuel Cells, PHEVs

See all California Laws and Incentives.