Los Angeles has launched a new electric car sharing program to help the city meet its clean air goals, reduce emissions, and help provide more transportation options to disadvantaged residents.
The BlueLA Electric Car Sharing Program was just launched by Mayor Eric Garcetti, California State Senate Pro Teem Kevin de Leon, Assemblymember Miguel Santiago and others. Also involved were the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, the California Air Resources Board and representatives from Blue Solutions. Combined, the group invested more than $10 million dollars into its electric vehicle car sharing program.
“We have to put sustainability at the center of everything we do in Los Angeles — and putting more drivers in electric vehicles is a good way to clean our air,” Mayor Garcetti said. “The BlueLA EV car share program puts California’s cap-and-trade dollars to work to not only help meet the Paris Climate Agreement goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and advance the EV goals in my Sustainable City Plan, it brings new transportation options to neighborhoods that need them.”
BlueLA is currently the largest electric car sharing program for disadvantaged communities in the nation. It wants to bring more transportation options to low-income communities, and handle the evolving mobility needs of the city. The pilot program will currently serve parts of Pico Union, Koreatown, Westlake, Echo Park, and Downtown Los Angeles.C
California Climate Investments has funded the project to the tune of 1.7 million dollars. CCI is a statewide program which invests billions of dollars into reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving public health and strengthening the economy.
BlueLA will be working with the Los Angeles Department of Transportation to bring the program online sometime later this year. Outreach efforts are driven by the new Shared Use Mobility Center, and a panel of community organizations, including T.R.U.S.T. South LA, Koreatown Immigrant Workers Alliance, and the Salvadoran American Leadership and Educational Fund.
The service is expected to become available for public use later in the year, but until then, the Pico Union station will be utilized for drive and ride events, community outreach efforts, and electric vehicle awareness campaigns. The service is expected to bring some 100 electric cars along with 200 chargers to various self-service stations around the Los Angeles area. The vehicles will be able to be used by anyone 18 years of age or older, with a valid driver’s license.
