Abstract
As California transitions to electric vehicles (EVs), ensuring equitable access to public charging remains a challenge. While the state and utilities have invested heavily in new charging infrastructure, simply counting stations does not show whether the network is reliable, affordable, and accessible, particularly for vulnerable populations and renters without home charging options. As of March 2025, California had installed about 178,549 public and shared-private chargers, including roughly 17,000 DC fast chargers. The California Energy Commission projects a need for about 1.01 million chargers by 2030 to support 7.5 million zero-emission vehicles. To better understand these dynamics, the research team developed a continuous, census tract-level monitoring system for the nine Bay Area counties that integrates information on charger availability, pricing, reliability, and grid capacity. This framework moves beyond static inventories to provide actionable, decision-grade insights for agencies responsible for EV infrastructure planning.
