Southern California Edison Wants More Electric Vehicle on the Roads, Files Plan with State

LOS ANGELES, CA -- Southern California Edison announced Monday that it has filed with the California Public Utilities Commission a wide-ranging plan for expanding electric transportation in its service area.

The plan aims to increase electrification of cars, buses, medium- and heavy-duty trucks and industrial vehicles and equipment, SCE said in a statement.

"This filing lays out a clear plan to accelerate the adoption of electric transportation, which is critical to California achieving its climate change and environmental goals," SCE President Ron Nichols said. "The benefits of electric vehicles are growing, but barriers to their adoption still exist and utilities and other market participants have a clear role to play in overcoming those barriers."

In addition to programs for passenger vehicles, the plan is tailored to Southern California, where 40 percent of the goods entering the nation are moved through the region's ports and over its highways, the statement said. The movement of goods is crucial to the state and local economy, but it is also a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution from heavy commercial and industrial vehicles at ports, warehouses and along freeway corridors, according to SCE.

SCE said this project will benefit all customers, particularly those in disadvantaged communities who are disproportionately affected by pollution and economic hardship and are often located along transportation corridors.

-- Photo courtesy of SCE