Bay Area air quality group earmarks $5 million for electric vehicle charging stations

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District last week approved $5 million for the development of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the region around San Francisco.

The funds will be used for electric vehicle charging stations and home chargers.

That includes:

• 3,000 home chargers at single- and multi-family dwellings.
• 2,000 public chargers at businesses and high-density parking areas.
• 50 fast chargers within close proximity to highways.

The goal? Kickstart at-home electric vehicle charging and build a network of charging sites where EV owners can recharge while running errands around town.

"The past several years have seen exciting progress in the development of electric vehicle technology," said Air District Executive Officer Jack Broadbent in a statement. "Creating a useful charging network will make it easier for Bay Area residents to Spare the Air every day by going electric."

The Air District's role is to protect air quality in the Bay Area. According to the organization, more than 50 percent of air pollution in the area is caused by the transportation sector.

This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com