BILL ANALYSIS ------------------------------------------------------------ |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 1455| |Office of Senate Floor Analyses | | |1020 N Street, Suite 524 | | |(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | | |327-4478 | | ------------------------------------------------------------ THIRD READING Bill No: SB 1455 Author: Kehoe (D) Amended: 6/1/10 Vote: 21 SENATE ENERGY, U. & C. COMMITTEE : 10-0, 4/6/10 AYES: Padilla, Dutton, Corbett, Cox, Kehoe, Lowenthal, Oropeza, Simitian, Strickland, Wright NO VOTE RECORDED: Florez SENATE TRANSPORTATION & HOUSING COMMITTEE : 8-0, 4/20/10 AYES: Lowenthal, Huff, Ashburn, DeSaulnier, Kehoe, Oropeza, Pavley, Simitian NO VOTE RECORDED: Harman SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 10-0, 5/27/10 AYES: Kehoe, Alquist, Corbett, Denham, Leno, Price, Walters, Wolk, Wyland, Yee NO VOTE RECORDED: Cox SUBJECT : Electric vehicles SOURCE : Author DIGEST : This bill requires the California Energy Commission, by July 1, 2011, in consultation with the Public Utilities Commission, to develop and maintain an Internet Web site containing specific links to electrical corporation and local publicly owned electric utility Internet Web sites or other Internet Web sites that contain CONTINUED SB 1455 Page 2 information specific to plug-in hybrid or fully electric vehicles, including information on the following: (1) Whether a vehicle will require a utility service upgrade at the consumer's residence, (2) basic charging circuit requirements, (3) utility rate options, and (4) load management techniques. ANALYSIS : Current law requires the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to direct the development of an infrastructure sufficient to facilitate the widespread use of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and full electric vehicles (collectively EVs) and to adopt rules to address infrastructure barriers by July 1, 2011. Background According to the California Energy Commission (CEC) there were 14,670 EVs operating in California in 2008 down from an industry high of 23,399 in 2003. However, an increasing number and variety of EVs are expected to hit the showroom floors of car dealers in the coming months and years. The CEC expects the number of EVs to grow from 32,756 in 2011 to 1.5 million by 2020 and 2.8 million by 2030. A historic number of automakers have already begun or announced deployment of a range of on-road EVs, including light-duty plug-in hybrid EVs, full-size battery EVs, two wheel battery EVs, and three or four wheel low-speed neighborhood EVs beginning this year. The state's investor-owned utilities (IOUs) do have tariffs in place for electric cars and have assisted residential customers and fleet managers with the charging infrastructure necessary for the vehicles on a limited basis. However regulators, the utilities and the electric grid are not ready for the thousands of cars expected. Infrastructure investments and policies at the customer site, commercial site, public charging site, and distribution system level are all required to prepare the electricity system for the widespread use of EVs. In response to the marketplace and the directives of SB 626 (Kehoe), 2009-10 Session, the PUC has initiated a rulemaking (R.09-08-009) to determine the barriers and CONTINUED SB 1455 Page 3 opportunities presented by EVs on the grid. Issues under consideration include rate design for the charging of EVs, options for development of metering and charging infrastructure, and how to incorporate EV charging with renewable energy supply. Comments Author's intent . As an increasing number of EVs come to the new car market, the author is concerned about whether the buyers of those vehicles will have the information they need to understand the relationship between a vehicle that needs to be charged at home and the electrical features and safety measures they will need to consider in order to safely and appropriately charge their vehicle. The author notes that information coming from the manufacturer of an EV will likely be limited to the features and basic charging requirements for that vehicle and not the infrastructure necessary to establish a charging connection for the EV. Related legislation . SB 1437 (Kehoe) requires the PUC to determine the costs to be borne by each class of ratepayers for the costs of bringing EVs to the grid. FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: Yes SUPPORT : (Verified 6/2/10) AAA Northern California Plug In America Public Utilities Commission DLW:mw 6/2/10 Senate Floor Analyses SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE **** END **** CONTINUED