Governor Gavin Newsom signs legislation to accelerate California’s EV future, expand consumer choice, and strengthen energy independence

Making EV ownership and charging easier

The bills Governor Newsom signed today are designed to solve practical problems that can make it harder, slower, or more expensive for Californians to choose an electric vehicle.

• Faster public-charger installation: SB 969 by Senator Reyes. Some public chargers can be delayed from opening by an outdated inspection process before they can begin operating. This law modernizes those rules so manufacturer-tested chargers can get online faster, while maintaining safeguards that ensure drivers receive the electricity they pay for.

• Cutting red tape for charging projects: SB 1283 by Senator Ashby. EV charger installations often require related work such as trenching, electrical upgrades, solar canopies, or battery storage. This law clarifies that California’s streamlined permitting rules for charger installations apply to that work too, helping prevent unnecessary delays and allowing approved projects to move into construction more quickly.

• More charging at apartments and mixed-use housing: AB 1820 by Assemblymember Schiavo. Not every Californian has a garage or driveway. This law reduces permitting barriers and fees for charging projects at apartments and mixed-use developments, helping ensure renters and residents of multifamily communities can access convenient charging where they live.

Governor Newsom also signed SB 1213 by Senator Eloise Reyes and SB 1267 and SB 615 by Senator Ben Allen to strengthen consumer protection and expand access to the clean transportation economy. These laws improve transparency in state incentives for zero-emission trucks, help Californians living in homeowner associations access EV charging, and provide consumers with clearer EV battery information when comparing vehicle options.

MyFirstEV: affordable access to EVs

The legislation signed today builds on the Governor’s MyFirstEV program, which is helping first-time zero-emission vehicle buyers access immediate savings on their first electric vehicle purchase. Through MyFirstEV, eligible Californians can receive an instant rebate of up to $3,500 toward a qualifying new zero-emission vehicle or up to $1,750 toward a qualifying used vehicle. The program is supported by a $135.5 million state investment that is matched dollar-for-dollar by participating automakers, creating $271 million in point-of-sale savings for California families.

Together, the announcements tell an important story: families do not have to choose between saving money and protecting the air we breathe. Foreign conflicts keep exposing how dependence on global oil markets threatens America’s economic and national security, driving up prices at the pump and at the grocery store with every new overseas crisis. As the world’s fourth-largest economy, California is determined to break that cycle.

Californians can explore options, learn about charging, and find a participating dealer at www.electricforall.org.

California’s clean transportation leadership

The MyFirstEV instant rebate is part of a $600 million investment in California’s affordable clean-vehicle future. Funded through Cap-and-Invest revenue and smog-abatement fees, the state funds the Clean Cars 4 All program, which helps income-qualified drivers replace older, higher-polluting vehicles; the Clean Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project, which helps fleets purchase cleaner trucks and buses; and the Carl Moyer Program, which supports replacement of high-polluting engines and equipment.

California has more than 216,445 public and shared charging plugs statewide, including more than 20,000 DC fast-charging ports. Chargers are being installed at places Californians already go, including workplaces, multifamily housing, retail centers, park-and-ride lots, medical offices, and travel corridors.

The California Energy Commission allocated $98.5 million in light-duty ZEV infrastructure funding for fiscal year 2025-26, emphasizing Level 1 and Level 2 chargers in locations where cars are parked for longer periods, including homes and multifamily residences.

California is one of the top states for EV buyers and drivers. California has surpassed its original goal of 1.5 million zero-emission vehicle sales by 2025, reaching more than 2.7 million cumulative ZEV sales. In the second quarter of 2026, Californians purchased 86,857 new ZEVs, representing 19.1% of all new vehicle sales in the state.

Governor Newsom’s  Build More, Faster — For All infrastructure agenda has driven historic investments in transportation that will benefit all Californians for decades to come. More than 29,000 California infrastructure projects are tracked at  build.ca.gov. 

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