California is pledging $95.2 million to build more electric-vehicle charging stations and hydrogen refueling sites across the state after seeing zero-emission car sales rebound in the first six months.
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the funding Tuesday, Aug. 18 after the California Energy Commission approved it Monday as part of the states clean transportation program. State officials said the goal is to make it easier for drivers to find places to charge or fuel zero-emission vehicles, or ZEVs. The money will be spent during the current fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, with more money planned through the next year.
Spokespersons for Newsom and the California Energy Commission, or CEC, werent immediately available to comment on where in the state the charging stations would be constructed, the bidding process or how much money might come available in the next fiscal year.
The states announcement said that $48 million has been set aside for light-duty electric vehicle charging stations, $30.2 million for medium- and heavy-duty zero emission infrastructure freight, port, public fleet and school buses $15 million for hydrogen refueling and $2 million for ZEV workforce training and equipment.
The state has seen a rebound in ZEV sales in the first six months of the year. In the quarter ending June 30, the CEC said consumers bought 86,857 ZEVs, marking a rebound to 19.1% of total new car sales after a slow first quarter. The sales figures include 75,597 battery EVs, 11,179 plug-in hybrids and 81 hydrogen fuel-cell cars. Total ZEV sales in the state have surpassed 2.7 million.
One of the largest beneficiaries of the hydrogen fueling stations could be FirstElement Fuel Inc., a clean energy company founded in 2013. The Irvine-based company operates the True Zero network, which has stations across California, including Alameda, Contra Costa, Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, San Diego and Santa Clara counties, according to the CEC .
The company already partners closely with the CEC on multi-million-dollar clean transportation grants to design, build and expand the hydrogen refueling infrastructure.
FirstElement executives were not immediately available to comment on whether theyd apply for new funding from the state to build more hydrogen stations.
Neither could executives with Rove, which has electric vehicle charging centers in Santa Ana and Costa Mesa, nor Electrify America, an EV fast-charging network, be reached for comment on their interest in state grants to expand. Electrify America has opened up charging centers next to malls in San Francisco and San Diego.
Newsoms office also said at least 50% of the program funds must go toward projects that benefit or serve low-income Californians and residents of low-income and disadvantaged communities. Newsom claimed that 62% of the clean transportation program and supplemental funds have gone to projects in disadvantaged or low-income communities.
The ZEV and hydrogen funding builds on a Newsom-backed program announced in July that the state hopes will spark a turnaround in new and used EV car-buying with a rebate program, MyFirstEV .
The program provides a $3,500 instant rebate for first-time ZEV buyers, and $1,750 for first-time buyers of a used EV that sells for less than $25,000. The $270 million joint initiative is funded by $135.5 million from the state and matched dollar-for-dollar by 13 participating automakers. It launches this summer.
Other states are trying similar incentive programs, including Colorado, New Jersey, New York and Oregon, according to the Energy Departments Alternative Fuels Data Center.
Newsom has pushed for the new funding programs after U.S. President Donald Trump did not renew expiring federal electric vehicle tax credits on Sept. 30, 2025, following their elimination under last years One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The repeal ended the up to $7,500 new vehicle credit and the $4,000 used vehicle credit.
加利福尼亚州承诺投入9520万美元，在全州范围内建设更多电动汽车充电站和氢燃料补给站。此前，该州零排放汽车销量在今年上半年出现反弹。
加州州长加文·纽瑟姆于8月18日周二宣布了这笔资金，此前加州能源委员会于周一批准将其作为该州清洁交通计划的一部分。州政府官员表示，此举旨在为零排放汽车（ZEV）驾驶员提供更便捷的充电或加氢设施。这笔资金将在截至2027年6月30日的本财年内投入使用，并计划在下一年度追加更多资金。
加州州长纽瑟姆及加州能源委员会（CEC）的发言人未立即回应关于充电站建设地点、招标流程或下个财年可能拨款金额的置评请求。
该州发布的公告称，已拨款4800万美元用于轻型电动汽车充电站建设，3020万美元用于中型和重型零排放基础设施（包括货运、港口、公共车队及校车领域），1500万美元用于氢燃料补给，200万美元用于零排放汽车（ZEV）劳动力培训及设备购置。
该州今年前六个月的零排放汽车（ZEV）销量出现回升。加州能源委员会（CEC）表示，截至6月30日的季度中，消费者购买了86,857辆零排放汽车，占新车总销量的19.1%，扭转了第一季度的低迷态势。具体销售数据包括75,597辆纯电动汽车、11,179辆插电式混合动力汽车和81辆氢燃料电池汽车。该州零排放汽车累计销量已突破270万辆。
氢燃料加注站的最大受益者之一可能是2013年成立的清洁能源公司第一元素燃料公司（FirstElement Fuel Inc.）。根据加州能源委员会（CEC）数据，这家总部位于尔湾的企业运营着True Zero加氢网络，其站点覆盖加州阿拉米达、康特拉科斯塔、洛杉矶、奥兰治、圣贝纳迪诺、圣迭戈和圣克拉拉等多个县。
该公司已与加州能源委员会（CEC）密切合作，共同申请了数百万美元的清洁交通补助金，用于设计、建设和扩展氢燃料补给基础设施。
FirstElement公司高管未能立即就是否会申请州政府新资金以建设更多加氢站一事置评。
罗孚公司（在圣安娜和科斯塔梅沙设有电动汽车充电中心）与电动汽车快充网络Electrify America的高管均未就申请州政府扩建拨款事宜置评。Electrify America近期已在旧金山和圣地亚哥的购物中心旁新建了充电站。
纽瑟姆办公室还表示，该项目至少50%的资金必须用于惠及或服务加州低收入群体及低收入与弱势社区居民的项目。纽瑟姆称，清洁交通计划及其补充资金中已有62%投入到弱势或低收入社区的项目中。
加州政府7月宣布了一项由州长纽瑟姆支持的"MyFirstEV"返利计划，旨在通过补贴刺激新旧电动汽车销售。此次零排放汽车及氢能源资金的投入，正是基于该计划的进一步拓展。
该计划为首次购买零排放汽车（ZEV）的消费者提供3,500美元的即时返现，而购买售价低于2.5万美元二手电动汽车的首购车主则可获得1,750美元补贴。这项总金额达2.7亿美元的联合计划由州政府出资1.355亿美元，13家参与车企按同等金额配资，将于今夏正式启动。
根据美国能源部替代燃料数据中心的资料，其他州也在尝试类似的激励计划，包括科罗拉多州、新泽西州、纽约州和俄勒冈州。
在美国总统唐纳德·特朗普未于2025年9月30日延续即将到期的联邦电动汽车税收抵免政策后，纽瑟姆推动了新的资金计划。该政策此前已根据去年的《宏大美丽法案》被取消。此次废除终止了高达7500美元的新车抵免和4000美元的二手车抵免优惠。
