Californians Asked Not To Charge EVs Days After Gas Car Ban Announced

CALIFORNIA — Californians were asked to avoid charging electric vehicles this week, just days after Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that the state would ban the sale of gas-powered cars by 2035.

The state is facing a "prolonged and record" heat wave, which has placed a significant strain on the state's power grid. The state's Independent System Operator extended a statewide Flex Alert into Thursday just hours after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order to temporarily ramp up the state's energy supply.

Under the alert, Californians are asked to conserve electricity between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. High temperatures typically trigger a steep increase in power use as more people turn on air conditioning to keep cool.

Residents are asked to make the following adjustments under the alert:

• Set thermostats to 78 degrees or higher
• Avoid using large appliances
• Avoid charging electric vehicles
• Turn off unnecessary lights

"Today, most people charge their electric cars when they come home in the evening — when electricity demand is typically at its peak," according to Cornell University’s College of Engineering. "If left unmanaged, the power demanded from many electric vehicles charging simultaneously in the evening will amplify existing peak loads, potentially outstripping the grid’s current capacity to meet demand."

Last week, the California Air Resources Board signed off on a bombshell policy change that will require all cars sold in the state in 2035 to be electric vehicles or other models free of emissions.

The decision drew criticism from those who have questioned how the ban of gas-powered cars will affect the nation's largest auto market. The plan has called into question whether the state's power grid could handle an influx of electric vehicles, which would need to regularly be charged.

READ MORE: 'Excessive' CA Heat Triggers Flex Alert Extension

California State Senator Andreas Borgeas stated his opposition to the move in 2020, tweeting then that it was part of the governor's "radical agenda."

“With virtually no infrastructure to support the wholistic eradication of gas vehicles, and the threat of rolling electrical blackouts, the Governor has unilaterally decided to move forward without consultation from the Legislature,” Borgeas said in a statement.

In California, there are just 80,000 public charging stations around the state, falling short of the 1.2 million the state estimates it needs by 2030, WTVO reported.

Newsom first signed the executive order in 2020 to prohibit the sales of gas powered cars.

"The climate crisis is solvable if we focus on the big, bold steps necessary to stem the tide of carbon pollution," Newsom said in a statement.

The order follows similar pledges by countries including the United Kingdom and France to eliminate emissions and reduce greenhouse gases. California rideshare company, Uber, has also vowed to eliminate gas-only cars from its vehicle fleet, planning to enforce the change even sooner, by 2030 in the U.S.

READ MORE: Should CA Ban The Sale Of Gas Powered Cars? Readers Weigh In