VW’s plan dodges state’s spending rule

Editorial

The California Air Resources Board needs to put the brakes on Volkswagen’s plan for spending the $800 million settlement of its diesel emissions scandal.

CARB has admitted that the disgraced automaker can use the settlement to make a profit. That’s bad enough. But Volkswagen shouldn’t also get to decide where to build Zero Emission Vehicle charging stations, twisting CARB’s intent to serve disadvantaged areas.

Volkswagen is paying the fine for rigging 11 million vehicles to cheat on emissions tests.

The decision on where charging stations will be built is crucial if Gov. Jerry Brown hopes to meet his goal of putting 1.5 million electric vehicles on state roads by 2025.

Charging stations need to be available at apartment buildings, shopping areas, movie theaters and parking structures in neighborhoods of all income levels. So Volkswagen was told to spend 35 percent of its settlement on chargers in low-income communities.

Its proposal does that, but it places them all at freeway interchanges and on major highways. That will be great for high-end EV owners on trips but does nothing for drivers who need a charge while running errands in their communities. Imagine the inconvenience if gas stations were only located at freeway exits.

CARB is taking public comment on Volkswagen’s proposal until April 12. Here’s ours: Require the company to meet the intent of the guidelines and put chargers where busy people can use them in their daily lives.

Volkswagen plans to spend $800 million over four 30-month time periods. It would spend $120 million of that first $200 million on charging infrastructure. Since charging stations cost about $60,000 a pop, that will build a lot of them.

CARB has to see that they aren’t just built in rich cities like Palo Alto, Beverly Hills and Saratoga but also in Fresno, San Bernardino and Bakersfield, which tend to have more pollution problems.

Despite President Donald Trump’s trashing of climate change regulations that would have encouraged the sale of electric vehicles, the technology is on the verge of breakthroughs that will make the cars cheaper and capable of traveling greater distances with even lower emissions. Smart consumers will make the choice.

Electric vehicle sales grew by 30 percent in 2016, but they still make up less than 5 percent of all car sales. To take them to scale, the infrastructure like charging stations has to be available to all.

California can provide a model for creating this infrastructure, and CARB can jump-start the transition by forcing Volkswagen to build a fair share of charging stations in the disadvantaged communities.

Not at the closest freeway clover leaf, but near where people live, work and shop.