376 PEV trips, 177 are plug-in hybrids from which additional electric mileage could be generated. With additional charging station investment, the zone has the potential to increase electric miles driven by commuters up to a cumulative 1,041 miles per day, the largest potential of any location within Los Angeles County. In contrast to the Westwood zone, a lower priority investment zone will have less potential to increase commute miles traveled on electric power. For example, consider the zone located in Santa Fe Springs, east of the 605 freeway. This zone is dominated by light industrial and wholesale commercial areas, with a few low-rise office buildings. Commercial activity in this location draws significant numbers of daily commutes. However, unlike the Westwood location, residents in surrounding communities, which comprise most of the zone’s commute pool, have purchased far fewer PEVs than the affluent neighborhoods surrounding Westwood. In total, 42 PEVs are expected to commute to the Santa Fe Springs zone, 23 of which are plug-in hybrids. Currently there are no charging stations available for PEV drivers. Given additional charging stations, we expect that the unsupported plug-in hybrids in Santa Fe Springs could yield an additional 249 commute miles driven under electric power. This number is modest, much less than the Westwood location, but it still signals that the zone has potential for charging infrastructure investment. Furthermore, the Santa Fe Springs location is located in a disadvantaged community (DAC), affected by higher pollution levels and characterized by low incomes in nearby residential areas. Because this area would likely realize greater than average benefits from charging station investment, it warrants more attention and investment funds than similarly scoring zones not situated in a DAC.2 Key Criteria
To determine priority locations for PEV charging station investment, we evaluate each LA County zone – such as the two described above - by two criteria: 1) a potential for eVMT improvement criterion, and 2) an environmental justice criterion. These criteria are applied to 2
Details concerning data and methodology are contained in the original report on which this chapter is based. The original report is available at http://innovation.luskin.ucla.edu/content/prioritizing-workplace-electric-vehiclecharging-station-investments-los-angeles-county.
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