Electric Vehicles
Electric vehicles (EVs) benefit human and environmental health. EVs reduce greenhouse gas emissions, have great fuel economy, and require less maintenance. The transportation sector produces the most greenhouse gas emissions in our region.
More EVs in our region would make a huge impact on climate change. The City of Redlands, as outlined in the Climate Action Plan, is looking to significantly increase EV charging infrastructure in the city.
Curious to know if an electric vehicle (EV) works for you?
Costs
Maintenance and fuel costs can be significantly lower for EVs when compared to their gasoline counterparts. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) reports that EV drivers annually spend half as much on fuel costs compared to other drivers. They also reported that EV owners save $7,000 – $11,000 over the lifetime of their vehicle.
There are multiple state and federal incentives for purchasing an EV and installing chargers. These come in the form of tax credits, rebates, and discounts on your electric bill.
However, there are very real upfront costs. The purchase price of EVs can be higher than other cars. Installing an EV charger at home can also be pricey and may even require an electrical panel upgrade. To aid in this process, the City has an expedited the permitting process for installing EV chargers. Learn more here.
In 2026, some EVs are predicted to sell for under $30,000. This is equal to or less than the purchase price of gasoline cars currently on the market.
Range
“Range anxiety” is a new term used to describe concerns related to an EV’s ability to make it to the next destination. Though this is a valid worry, EV charging stations are becoming much more common and EV tech is getting better. The range on new EV batteries can be up to 300 miles per charge.
The City’s CAP defines multiple goals to increase EV infrastructure in the city. Hopefully range anxiety will be a thing of the past for Redlands residents.
Clean Feets
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is responsible for setting emissions standards to protect the health and safety of people and our environment. CARB has recently set standards with the goal to phase out internal combustion engine (ICE) medium and heavy duty vehicles. This is being done to reduce vehicle emissions that are causing air pollution. This regulatory effort is titled the, “Advanced Clean Fleets Regulation (ACFR).”
Redlands, and the Inland Empire as a whole, is home to many warehousing and logistic operations. The Advance Clean Fleet Regulations are likely to impact many businesses who operate in our region. You might already be seeing fully electric logistics vehicles in your neighborhood.
Manufacturers may only sell zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles in California starting in 2036. However, gasoline powered cars do not need to cease operation at that time.
What’s a Zero-Emission Vehicle?
Zero-emission vehicles, or ZEVs, are exactly what they sound like, vehicles that have zero emissions! Electric vehicles are the most common type of ZEV. Fully electric cars are ZEVs because they do not emit any exhaust or pollutants from the combustion of gasoline.
Hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles are also considered ZEVs, but are far less common.
Who is affected by Advance Clean Fleet Regulations?
CARB states that these regulations will impact:
- Trucks performing drayage operations at seaports and railyards
- Fleets owned by State, local, and federal government agencies
- Entities that own, operate, or direct at least one vehicle in California, and that have either $50 million or more in gross annual revenue, or that own, operate, or have common ownership or control of a total of 50 or more vehicles.
The regulation affects medium- and heavy-duty on-road vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating greater than 8,500 pounds, off-road yard tractors, and light-duty mail and package delivery vehicles.
This page is for awareness only. Please visit CARB’s ACFR page for more information. CARB has defined various mechanisms to achieve compliance with the ACFR. Click here to review CARB’s compliance pathways.
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