A rebate project to increase public access to high-powered charging stations for plug-in electric vehicles (EVs) throughout Southern California launched this week in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

Up to $29 million is now available through the Southern California Incentive Project (SCIP) to install charging stations in the four-county area. SCIP is an initiative of the California Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Project (CALeVIP), which works with community partners to develop and implement regional incentive projects that support the installation of charging infrastructure statewide.

CALeVIP and its regional projects are implemented by the Center for Sustainable Energy and funded by the California Energy Commission’s Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program, which supports innovations in transportation and fuel technologies. California aims to get 5 million EVs on its roads by 2030 and to install 250,000 vehicle charging stations to support those vehicles.

SCIP is currently accepting applications from eligible businesses and public entities for rebates for DC fast charger installations of up to $70,000 per DC fast charger or 75% of the total installation project’s cost, whichever is less. DC fast chargers can power most EVs and provide over 100 miles of driving range per hour of charging, which is ideal for on-the-go charging.

Rebates of up to $80,000, or 80% of total costs, are available in designated disadvantaged communities. Eligible SCIP applicants can apply for multiple charger rebates.

A national nonprofit organization, CSE manages statewide incentive programs for electric vehicles and electrical vehicle charging infrastructure in California, New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts.

CALeVIP’s first incentive project was launched in Fresno County in December 2017, and others are slated for other areas of the state. CALeVIP is currently funded for more than $33 million.