UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation

California is a national leader in promoting zero-emission vehicle adoption, including a mandate that all passenger vehicles sold in the state be zero-emission by 2035. In support of these goals, the state has long operated several light-duty clean vehicle incentive programs that provide financial support for households to purchase a new electric vehicle (EV). Our recent statewide study identified inequitable patterns in both EV incentive distribution and registration. Here, we focus on Los Angeles, and find major disparities at the city and county levels. The percentage of clean vehicle incentive dollars going to state-identified disadvantaged communities or DACs, is 27-30% (while DACs make up nearly half of the county’s census tracts, and more than half of the city’s). In terms of clean vehicle registration, the gap between DAC and non-DAC residents is 3 to 1 in the county and higher city-wide. We include four case examples that illustrate the extreme EV access and realization disparities in underserved neighborhoods in LA, and thus the need for more targeted local, regional, and statewide assistance to get closer to an equitable transition to clean transportation and energy. The public agencies working to advance EV equity in the county and city of LA must make clear how they plan to achieve their stated equity targets.