CALIFORNIA’S TRANSITION TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES: HOW TO MEET THE DEADLINE

Abstract

In California, the state government recently announced it would phase out the sale of gas powered passenger vehicles by 2035. This is being done primarily in order to reduce the state’s carbon dioxide emissions, as gas powered cars and trucks run on fossil fuels, and their electric replacements can be powered using renewable and zero carbon sources. This announcement has led to questions about the capability of the state to support the electric vehicles, other zero emission vehicles (ZEVs), and to generate and distribute sufficient electric power to them. While there is little debate as to whether or not switching to a renewable powered electric vehicle fleet would be a large step forward in the fight against global warming, there is debate as to whether or not the state can feasibly meet its self-imposed deadline of 2035. The aim of this thesis is to outline the necessary steps California must take in order to meet the goal of a fully renewable powered electric vehicle fleet, addressing the topics of infrastructure, energy generation, and technologies. In order to determine what must be done to power such an electric vehicle fleet, data was gathered examining the amount of energy required for such a fleet, how the state can generate it without emitting carbon dioxide, and what infrastructure must be set up in order to make the widespread use of electric vehicles possible. New and useful technologies will also be analyzed, in order to determine what may be of potential help in making a fully electric vehicle fleet possible. Lastly, this information will all be presented on a realistic timeline, concluding whether or not the state’s transition from gas powered vehicles to renewable powered electric vehicles is possible in the timeframe that has been established.