AB 2697 ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING LEGISLATION WITH NATIONAL IMPLICATIONS ON GOVERNOR’S DESK

Thursday, September 12, 2024

AB 2697 ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING LEGISLATION WITH NATIONAL IMPLICATIONSON GOVERNOR'S DESK

SACRAMENTO - The California Legislature has passed a significant piece of legislation that would require electric vehicle (EV) charging companies to share information across their networks. This new requirement would benefit EV drivers nationwide. If signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, Assembly Bill (AB) 2697, by Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, would direct the California Energy Commission (CEC) to adopt network roaming standards. These standards would be applied to major EV charging network providers that manage 100 or more publicly available chargers and will help EV drivers locate and use charging stations. The legislation comes as a result of Assemblymember Irwin's personal charging experiences, as well as ongoing news stories highlighting the lack of reliable and accessible charging infrastructure in California.

"My experience as an EV driver mirrors that of far too many Californians. Having to download multiple charging apps, with varied payment methods, all in hopes of finding a working charger is not only frustrating, it jeopardizes our clean transportation goals," said Assemblymember Irwin. "It's essential that we simplify the EV charging experience, especially as the market moves beyond people living in single family homes and expands to drivers that may not have a garage or driveway in which to charge."

Roaming is a technique that a variety of industries employ to safely and securely share data. Roaming agreements exist in various sectors, between banks, allowing accountholders to withdraw from ATMs owned by competitors, and between phone providers, allowing customers to travel freely between different service territories. In the EV industry, several companies already use roaming as a way to connect customers to services, regardless of the service provider.

"AB 2697 is a big win for EV drivers. Implementing roaming agreements not only improves the charging experience, but it makes it easier to charge when and where you need it. Expanding roaming options will help bring seamless charging access to Californians and drivers traveling beyond state lines," said Alexia Melendez Martineau, Senior Policy Manager at Plug In America.

The legislation would complement pending reliability efforts at the CEC. Assemblymember Irwin hopes that roaming requirements will compel the charging industry to ensure their chargers are functioning and that drivers can rely on a single app to find charging information and receive a seamless charging experience.

"Roaming is good for the driver because it empowers them to use their preferred mobile app to find a charging station and pay for charging," said Cory Bullis, Public Affairs Director at FLO. "And what is good for the consumer is good for the industry."

AB 2697 is an important piece of an ongoing effort by Assemblymember Irwin to improve the ease and reliability of EV charging. Last year, additional language was added to the renewal of the Clean Transportation Program (AB 126), which granted additional regulatory authority to the CEC to improve reliability of EV charging stations in California.

For additional information please visit the Assembly website at Events | Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin Representing the 42nd California Assembly District (asmdc.org)or contact the District Office at (805) 370-0542.

Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin represents California's 42nd Assembly District, which includes portions of both Ventura and Los Angeles Counties; including all of Agoura Hills, Bel Air, Beverly Glen, Brentwood, Casa Conejo, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Lake Sherwood, Malibu, Moorpark, Oak Park, Pacific Palisades, Santa Susana, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Topanga, Westlake Village, and portions of Camarillo.