Mayor lauds progress on electric vehicles at Veloz Forum
Two hundred of the state’s leading electric vehicle policy makers and members of the burgeoning industry gathered in Sacramento Wednesday to share experiences and information at the Veloz Forum.
It’s the first time the forum has come to the capital city, which has attracted nationwide notice for a $44-million investment in electric vehicle technology by Volkswagen subsidiary Electrify America.
Electrify America CEO Giovanni Palazzo announced at the forum that the company had reached a key milestone by installing its 100th fast electric charging station in California.
Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg said the work being done by those in attendance at Veloz provides “hope for me and all of us.”
“You are not just striving to meet our climate goals, you are actually making it happen,” Mayor Steinberg said.
The Mayor highlighted the landmark environmental policies in California and the need to accelerate work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions .
Sacramento is focused on electrification in all transportation modes to accelerate the reduction of carbon pollution. The investment by Electrify America Sacramento’s Green Cities initiative is making the capital city a leader in electric vehicle deployment. In addition to fast-charging stations at the airport, downtown and other locations, the $44 million has to date resulted in:
Gig Car Share – 260 all electric free-floating car share vehicles available for rent making it the largest free-floating EV car share fleet in the nation.
Envoy Car Share – Electric vehicles available to residents of 40 multi-family properties. The program now has 500 active users. Seventy percent of the properties with Envoy vehicles have low income residents or are located in disadvantaged neighborhoods.
Causeway Connection – the Green Cities grant funded the purchase of 12 all-electric buses that will connect UC Davis to downtown Sacramento and Aggie Square starting April 6.
Micro-transit – Three electric shuttles have been purchased for the first micro-transit service in Sacramento. Demand is now 260 trips per day with South Sacramento and Franklin Blvd being the focus area for service.
The Mayor also noted that the electric vehicle investment fits in with the City’s inclusive economic development goals by providing transportation options for residents of low-income neighborhoods.
