Note: Vehicle registrations as of end of 2024 and charging station data asa of June 16, 2025.
Data Source: California Energy Commission; Alternative Fuel Data Center, U.S. Department of Energy.
Analysis by CEC Economics
Highlights
- As of June 14, 2025, there were 62,247 public Level 1, Level 2, and DC fast-charging ports in California.54 Assuming a one-to-one port to connector ratio, this total amounts to just one-fourth of the 250,000 public and DC fast charging (DCFC) shared chargers target by 2025.55 Level 2 charging ports make up three-fourths (75%) of charging stations and DC fast charging stations (DCFC) make up 24% of them. A very small percentage (1.0%) of these charging ports are Level 1. Increasing the availability of DC fast chargers, which charge EV batteries more quickly than Level 1 or Level 2, is necessary as more EVs are used for both routine and long-distance trips.
- Since ZEV penetration is lower in more rural and less-populous metro areas, these areas also tend to have a greater number of charging stations per electric vehicle. Hanford-Corcoran, where ZEV made up just 1.6% of total vehicles registered in 2024, has the highest rate of charging ports per EV (0.18), followed by Madera (0.104) and Napa (0.099). Meanwhile, due to stalling sales in 2024, the number of charging stations per EV rose in all MSAs compared to July 2023 except for Redding (-15.1%) and Yuba City (-6.0%).
54 An EV charging port provides power to charge only one vehicle at a time even though it may have multiple connectors. A connector is what is plugged into a vehicle to charge it. Multiple connectors and connector types (such as CHAdeMO and CCS) can be available on one EV charging port, but only one vehicle will charge at a time. Connectors are sometimes called plugs.
55 The 250,000 target was established by Executive Order B-48-18 in 2018. California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz). “Electric Vehicle Charging Station Permitting Guidebook.” 2nd ed. January, 2023. Accessed July 9, 2025. Available at: https://business.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/GoBIZ-EVCharging-Guidebook.pdf
Opportunity
- In December 2024, the California Energy Commission (CEC) approved a $1.4 billion investment plan as part of the 2024-2025 Investment Plan, which would be used to build out nearly 17,000 new light-duty chargers statewide.56 This is a follow-up to the $1.9 billion investment plan approved by the CEC, which was part of the 2023-2024 Investment Plan.57
56 California Energy Commission (CEC). CEC $1.4 Billion Plan to Expand Zero-Emission Transportation Infrastructure. December 11, 2024. Available at: https://www.energy.ca.gov/news/2024-12/cec-approves-14-billion-plan-expand-zero-emission-transportation-infrastructure
57 California Energy Commission (CEC). CEC Approves $1.9 Billion Plan to Expand Zero-Emission Transportation Infrastructure. February 14, 2024. Available at: https://www.energy.ca.gov/news/2024-02/cec-approves-19-billion-plan-expand-zero-emission-transportation-infrastructure
Challenge
- After a federal order to halt the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program suspended all plans in February 2025,58 revised guidance was issued in August 2025 that allows states to reapply for funding for 30 days with minimized regulatory requirements.59 However, environmental advocates warned that the move serves as a delay tactic by the Trump administration to block money for EV charging. 60
58 Federal Highway Administration. Suspending Approval of State Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Deployment Plans. February 6, 2025. Available at: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/nevi/resources/state-plan-approval-suspension.pdf
59 Federal Highway Administration. President Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy Unveils Revised NEVI Guidance to Allow States to Actually Build EV Chargers. August 11, 2025. https://highways.dot.gov/newsroom/president-trumps-transportation-secretary-sean-p-duffy-unveils-revised-nevi-guidance
60 Canary Media. Trump admin reopens $5B EV charging program after losses in court. August 13, 2025. https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/ev-charging/trump-reopen-nevi-funding
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