Charging an electric vehicle in Santa Barbara County could be easier than ever in the next few years.
The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors approved $4 million on Tuesday to purchase new vehicle charging systems, supporting equipment, and software programs.
The county is purchasing these charging stations as part of its Zero-Emission Vehicle Action Plan, which requires Santa Barbara County to provide more access to charging units and establishes requirements for its fleet.
The vote approves a contract with PowerFlex Systems, LLC to purchase the charging stations and pay for services. The additional funds raise the total cost of the contract to $5 million.
Since 2013, the county has been working to install more charging units throughout the region to supports its growing number of electric vehicles. Around 124 units were purchased and installed up to this point.
A study by the county showed that it would need to install an additional 120 to 180 new charging stations.
A new grant, which was funded by the California Energy Commission, will allow the county to install an additional 150 charging units over the next three years.
The purchases are part of the county’s goal of converting its Light Duty Vehicles, like smaller sedans and trucks, to zero-emission vehicles.
The county is not working on a specific timeline to replace its current fleet of vehicles, according to Brandon Kaysen, an energy manager for the county. Instead, the decision to replace a vehicle happens when it is no longer operational.
“The county does have a zero-emission policy,” Kaysen said. “So, any time a vehicle is approaching end-of-life, the expectation is that it’ll be replaced with an electric vehicle.”
Kaysen said that some vehicles do not have a zero-emission equivalent on the market, but there may be an exception. The county also factors in whether a zero-emission vehicle can perform the duties needed.
The county also makes exceptions for employees who are traveling long distances throughout the day and may not be able to stop to charge their cars. In these situations, the county may assign a hybrid vehicle.
The county says it will be looking for additional funding to purchase more charging stations in the future.
The new units funded by the current contract will be installed at county locations like the Regional Fire Communications Center and Probation Headquarters. The charging stations will be open to county employees, visitors and the public.
The county recommends that any residents who do want to use the county’s public charging stations download the Powerflex app to see what units are available.