What California’s Statewide EV Charging Incentive Program Means for the Future of Multi-Family Charging

“Communities in Charge” is California’s light-duty electric vehicle infrastructure incentive project, designed to rapidly deploy Level 2 (L2) EV charging stations in support of a more equitable, accessible, and clean energy future. The program’s spotlight on L2 charging, as opposed to the high-cost DC fast charging that the majority of EV charging incentive programs in California have been focused on, is meant to ensure convenient EV charging is a practical reality for all – especially in low-income and disadvantaged communities across the state.

For multi-unit owners or managers that may be considering adding charging infrastructure to their property, but don’t currently have the means necessary, Communities in Charge is a great opportunity to take advantage of public funding. The program is open to a variety of applicants and sites across California, with a prioritization towards projects that are ready for implementation (“Ready to Go” projects) as well as locations in low-income and disadvantaged communities.

How it works:

Communities in Charge applies a tiered approach, based on where the project is located and the site type:

1. Base incentive: $3500 per Level 2 charging port (minimum 4 - maximum 20);
2. Multi-family sites: $7,000 per port (minimum 4 - maximum 40);
3. Tribal, low-income, and disadvantaged communities: $10,500 per port (minimum 4 - maximum 40).

Selection process:

Applications will officially open towards the end of Q1 2023, and from that date applicants will have a 45 day window to submit. If selected, applicants will be notified 5 months after the initial submission.

We’d recommend interested applicants join the Communities in Charge mailing list to receive important updates. The program’s Implementation Manual is another helpful resource in deciding if you and your property is eligible, what information and documentation you’ll need to provide to apply, and more.

We’re here to help:

At EverCharge, we are experts at utilizing a building's existing grid infrastructure to maximize the number of EVs that can charge while minimizing deployment costs – to ultimately create a charging ecosystem that can seamlessly scale to support the demand in the future. Our decade-worth of experience in the industry means we’re ready to help you navigate the challenges of the grant application process to submit a successful bid to future-proof your property. Simply reach out to charging@evercharge.com or give us a call at 888.342.7383 to get the process started.