Automobile manufacturers plan to roll out hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in the 2015 to 2017 timeframe, while California’s share of the US market for plug-in electric vehicles currently stands at nearly 40%.

The California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) will work with local, state and federal government agencies, hydrogen station developers, station hosts, electric vehicle regional planners, installers, and hosts, in addition to the automobile companies and other interested parties, to facilitate and accelerate the permitting and establishment of both the hydrogen fueling and electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

When Toyota's hydrogen fuel cell vehicle comes to market in 2015, a convenient and reliable fueling infrastructure must be ready for our customers. Toyota is excited to partner with GO-Biz and the Governor's Office to ensure the necessary hydrogen infrastructure is in place for the successful launch of fuel cell technology in California.

—Jim Pisz, Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. North American business strategy corporate manager

California is working to transform our transportation fleet with a goal of 1.5 million zero emission vehicles on the road by 2025. A key component of achieving that is establishing the necessary infrastructure. To support that goal, the Energy Commission established this new position at the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development to spearhead the effort.

—California Energy Commissioner Janea A. Scott

The California Energy Commission voted unanimously to provide $300,000 to GO-Biz over the next two years to fund a position to spearhead the effort. The position will report directly to the Deputy Director of Permitting at GO-Biz and proactively engage state and local partners to identify and eliminate barriers to development.

The initiative began earlier this year when GO-Biz was approached by several automotive companies—including Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan and General Motors—which identified a need for additional hydrogen and electric fueling stations to support plans to increase their zero emission fleets.