- Joel Price
- (805) 370-0542
SACRAMENTO – Assembly Bill (AB) 1423 by Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks) passed the Legislature and was signed by Governor Newsom on October 1st. AB 1423, which enjoyed bipartisan support, would remove the requirement that electric vehicle chargers use credit card readers, lowering the cost to install them, and streamlining the charging experience.
“Removing this requirement moves California closer to a plug-and-charge future,” explained Assemblymember Irwin. “Without significant improvements that streamline the driver experience, we are jeopardizing our clean transportation future.”
One barrier to rapid charger deployment is the cost to install and maintain the charger’s payment system. Research by the Air Resources Board showed that credit card requirements make up 10 percent of the cost of a Level 2 electric vehicle charger. Credit card and tap-to-pay readers can present hurdles for reliability when damaged by vandalism or inclement weather. California has made significant progress in the transition away from gas-powered vehicles. With over 178,000 public and shared private chargers installed, the state is on its way to the 1 million chargers needed by 2035. High levels of charger reliability are crucial as California deploys new infrastructure to serve more drivers and bolster consumer confidence in electric vehicle chargers.
“As a legislator, I am frustrated to see our tax dollars wasted on payment methods of the past,” said Assemblymember Irwin. “I am grateful to the Newsom Administration’s continued partnership on this issue,” she added.
AB 1423, along with other reliability-focused legislation in recent years create a set of regulations aim to create a better charging experience, particularly for drivers that charge outside the home. Last year, the Governor signed AB 2697 (Irwin), which required major electric vehicle charging companies to adopt roaming policies so that drivers can use their preferred charging app to see all available chargers. The California Energy Commission is expected to release regulations outlining uptime and reliability requirements in the coming months.