Electrify America announced a nearly $3-million additional investment to support four community-based organization awardees promoting Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEV) education and awareness in low-income and disadvantaged communities throughout California. This effort is part of the company’s broader commitment to environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices, and supports the existing plan to invest $200 million in California ZEV infrastructure and education programs in the state through mid-2024.

Investment recipients include Breathe SoCal, Ecology Action, Plug In America, and Valley Clean Air Now.

The announcement builds on four years of previous multimillion-dollar funding investments with community-based organizations (CBOs) and non-profit organizations (NGOs) throughout the state in low income and disadvantaged communities, aimed to support a more equitable transition to electric vehicles and zero tailpipe-emission driving. This year’s investment will build off of previous year’s engagement efforts to support digital and in-person education, electric vehicle (EV) ride and drive programs, events, potential EV incentives and financing workshops, and grassroots community engagement.

Additionally, this year the community-based organizations will also focus on home charging education as well as awareness and engagement around Electrify America’s $25-million Green City investment to bring charging infrastructure to the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach and help to start to electrify the tens of thousands of drayage trucks that enter the Port Complex every single day.

Through 2021, Electrify America has invested a total of $400 million in California, with $197.3 million of that in low-income, disadvantaged and underserved California communities by providing education, access, charging infrastructure and services to promote ZEV driving, including $18 million in education and marketing.

More than 100 non-profit, private and public entities from across California were invited to submit proposals to support brand-neutral ZEV education and awareness in disadvantaged and low-income communities.