California Is Asking EV Owners to Slow Down on Charging
California is in the middle of a brutal heat wave and to help ease the stress on the grid, state energy regulators are asking EV owners not to charge their cars as much during the heat wave.
California is pressing ahead with its plan of being the first state in the United States to ban gas vehicles by 2035. Before then, new vehicles sold in the state have to be zero emission by certain points, namely 2026 and 2030. But it looks like the state’s electrical grid might not be up to the task just yet. Multiple news outlets are reporting that state energy regulators are asking EV owners not to charge their vehicles as much while parts of the state go through a heat wave.
It’s hot as hell here. There’s currently a high-pressure heat dome over the entire state. Temps in my city are going to range from 103 to 109 degrees Fahrenheit for the next seven days. With people trying to stay cool and air conditioners in overdrive, it’s taxing the grid.
What’s worse is that the Golden State is the number one state for EVs. People need to get around, so they’re charging their vehicles — and plenty of people are getting ready for Labor Day road trips. The problem is that the state wants people to not charge as much right now. So the American Public Power Association and state energy regulators are asking people to turn up the temperature of their air conditioners and to turn down how much they’re charging their EVs.
“The top three conservation actions are to set thermostats to 78 degrees or higher, avoid using large appliances and charging electric vehicles, and turn off unnecessary lights” the association said. They’re asking EV owners to only charge between 4 pm and 9 pm.
If thousands of EVs charging at the same time people are running their A/C or washing clothes can be too much for the grid to handle is a problem, you would think officials are doing what they can to guarantee the grid is prepared to make an all-EV transition, right? Nope. And as a state resident, it’s annoying to see.
