ADOPTED APRIL 2012

Southern California Association of Governments

VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY

APPENDIX
THE ROLE OF VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY IN MEETING 

LONG-TERM AIR QUALITY AND ENERGY CHALLENGES

SCAG’s Collaborative Efforts Relative to Clean Vehicle Technology 1

The Air Quality / Energy Connection 1
T

he SCAG region has a long history of addressing the need for significant regional 

emission reductions in order to attain the federal air quality standards. Of 

particular concern for air agencies and stakeholders is the significant amount 

of emission reductions necessary to meet the standards, and that a substantial 

portion are included in long term measures that are not yet clearly defined. More recently, 

concerns related to GHG emissions and future energy costs/sustainability have entered 

the discussion.

From the related air quality and energy discussions, stakeholders have focused on the 

role that technology will play for transportation sources and which concepts or strategies 

may possibly be incorporated into SCAG’s 2012–2035 RTP/SCS to that end.

It is important to note that SCAG has consistently promoted or otherwise put forth 

concepts, performed necessary planning, or set forth policies that have helped move the 

region to a more efficient and cleaner transportation system. To name a few:

 Facilitating the linkage of a regional HOV system

 Initial planning for Metrolink

 Conceptualization of the Alameda Corridor

 Telecommuting

 Planning for a comprehensive, clean technology goods movement system

 System efficiency through improved urban form

 Administering the Southern California Clean Cities Coalition

SCAG will continue to champion such strategies and to seek ways, within the constraints 

set forth by regulation and jurisdictional authority, to set the framework for the strategies 

within the 2012–2035 RTP/SCS or otherwise facilitate moving such concepts forward.

SCAG’s Collaborative Efforts Relative to 

Clean Vehicle Technology

The Air Quality / Energy Connection

To stimulate more active dialogue and begin to comprehensively addressing the related 

issues of air quality and energy costs and sustainability, ARB, South Coast AQMD, and 

SCAG have released a joint brochure entitled: Powering the Future: A Vision for Clean 

Energy, Clear Skies, and a Growing Economy in Southern California. This brochure 

discusses the economic, mobility, energy security and climate benefits of transitioning 

from traditional combustion of fossil fuels in cars, trucks and factories, to broad use of 

clean energy such as electricity. It includes “10 Steps for Governments” and “10 Steps for 

Business and Individuals” for “powering clean growth.”

SCAG’s policy with regard to alternative fuels is technology neutral and does not favor any 

one technology over any other. SCAG’s alternative fuel goals are to promote emissions 

reduction and improved mobility in ways that are effective and cost-effective. Alternative 

fuels for transportation include, but are not limited to, the following commercially available and emerging fuels1

:

Commercially Available Alternative Fuels

 Biodiesel

 Electricity

 Ethanol

 Hydrogen

 Natural Gas

 Propane

Emerging Alternative Fuels

 Biobutanol

 Biogas

1 U.S. Department of Energy, Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center, http://www.afdc.

energy.gov/afdc/fuels/index.html

The Role of Vehicle Technology in Meeting Long-Term Air Quality and Energy Challenges 1
 Hydrogenation-Derived Renewable Diesel (HDRD)

 Methanol

 P-Series

 xTL Fuels (Fischer-Tropsch)

COMPREHENSIVE GOODS MOVEMENT PLANNING

The 2012–2035 RTP/SCS delineates a path forward—a series of steps and decision 

points to move the region to a near-zero and zero emission freight system. Broad deployment of near-zero and zero emission transportation technologies in the 2023 to 2035 

timeframe is a critical undertaking, but with significant technological, cost and operational challenges. To achieve this objective requires industry stakeholder participation, 

as well as the efforts of numerous state and federal resources agencies, transportation 

agencies, along with commercial technology developers/manufacturers and logistics 

experts. The 2012–2035 RTP/SCS developed in coordination with many of these stakeholders reiterates this as a priority and establishes the regional path forward to such 

a system. Please refer to Goods Movement Technical Appendix to review the 2012–2035 

RTP/SCS Goods Movement Environmental Strategy and Action Plan for Technology 

Advancement.

ELECTRIC VEHICLE PLANNING GRANTS

SCAG and regional partner agencies have successfully collaborated on submission 

of federal and state grant applications to the specific end of planning for accelerated 

penetration of electric vehicles into the market. The objective of the U.S. Department 

of Energy (DOE) grant is to develop a comprehensive, statewide PEV readiness project. 

To advance the state of readiness in California, the Bay Area AQMD, Plug-In Electric 

Vehicle Collaborative, South Coast AQMD, and Clean Cities Coalitions in California will 

form the California PEV Coordinating Council (CalPEVCC). The CalPEVCC will oversee the 

creation of a PEV Readiness Guidelines document, six Regional Infrastructure Plans, and 

a compiled Statewide Infrastructure Plan. The objective is to create a unified statewide 

approach to planning critical PEV charging infrastructure activities with regional implementation plans in order to support and expand the market for PEVs in California. DOE 

awarded this coalition $1,000,000 in September 2011, with allocations of $200,000 for 

SCAG and $100,000 for SCAG’s Clean Cities partners.

SCAG, along with key regional partners, was awarded $200,000 from the California 

Energy Commission grant solicitation, Regional Plans to Support Plug-In Electric Vehicle 

Readiness. Core partners include South Coast AQMD, Southern California Edison (SCE), 

South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG), and Western Riverside Council of 

Governments (WRCOG), and also includes many cities and stakeholders working together 

to develop the first-ever regional plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) strategic plan. The purpose 

of the project is to develop two subregional PEV Readiness Plans; establish best practices 

for “PEV-ready” building and public works guidelines; and streamline PEV electric vehicle 

supply equipment permitting, installation, and inspection processes. This Plan will also 

become part of a larger effort to provide support the forecasted growth in PEVs throughout California while promoting economic development within the green technology sector. 

The project will complement the proposed work outlined for the creation of a California 

PEV Readiness Plan outlined in the U.S. DOE proposal. Two complementary subregional 

Charge Port Infrastructure Plans will also be developed as part of this CEC project. Two 

subregions were selected based on their differing land use characteristics, allowing other 

subregions to relate to one of the models. This will facilitate the gradual development of 

PEV Readiness Plans at the subregional scale throughout Southern California. 

NEIGHBORHOOD ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEV) provide a low speed, zero emission transportation option that can assist communities and regions in improving mobility while reducing 

carbon-based vehicle emissions and related pollution. Existing law authorizes certain 

local agencies to establish a NEV transportation plan subject to certain requirements.

NEVs have the following key benefits:

 Reduce reliance upon fossil fuels;

 Improve utilization of existing Class I and Class II bicycle lanes through shared use 

where appropriate;

 Provide safe and efficient transportation alternatives for short trips;

 Offer sustainable/livable community planning tool; and 

 Enabling broad use of zero emission vehicles aids in attainment of GHG emission 

reductions outlined in SB 375 and AB 32;

2 The Role of Vehicle Technology in Meeting Long-Term Air Quality and Energy Challenges
With funding in part from the SCAG Blueprint Demonstration Project Program, the 

Western Riverside Council of Governments (WRCOG) conducted a four-city study in 2010 

that evaluated how small electric vehicles could fit into the region’s road network. The 

purpose of the WRCOG 4-City NEV Transportation Plan is to further the vision of creating 

a sustainable development that reduces gasoline demand and vehicle emissions by offering a cleaner, more economical means of local transportation within the plan area.

As a result of this effort, WRCOG sponsored legislation (AB61, Jeffries), signed by 

Governor Brown into law on August 4, 2011, that authorizes the County of Riverside or 

any city in the county to establish a NEV transportation plan. NEV transportation plans 

are needed to overcome connection issues, identify safe routes, and enable clear communication about where residents can go in low speed vehicles. The WRCOG 4-City NEV 

Transportation Plan presents a multi-jurisdiction transportation planning approach to 

leverage existing and future public street networks for maximum transportation benefit. 

This Plan identifies low speed connectors and potential NEV/bike lane backbone facilities 

within and between the cities of Corona, Norco, Riverside and Moreno Valley. The Plan 

also benefits unincorporated communities within the study area.

The Plan provides the necessary tools for local jurisdiction Plan adoption and may 

be used as a template for other communities contemplating similar transportation 

network enhancements.

The Plan includes Near Term and Long Range (Future) routes. Near Term routes are 

assumed as an initial implementation phase in the one to three year time frame. Near 

Term routes rely on existing or planned Class II bike lanes suitable for shared use with 

NEVs. These routes can be converted for NEV use with little or no capital cost. Not all 

Class II bike lanes are appropriate for shared use with safety as a primary determining 

factor. Long Range (Future) routes include select existing and planned Class II bike lanes 

to complete the backbone NEV network. Long range routes can be implemented over time 

and concurrent with future road improvements. The Backbone network map also includes 

low speed connector roads. These low speed connectors also provide easy transition to 

potential NEV / bike lanes leading to more places and increased mobility.

In another part of the SCAG region, the South Bay Cities Council of Government (SBCCOG) 

commissioned the report Neighborhood Electric Vehicles in Mature Suburbs (funded 

by South Coast AQMD) on a demonstration of NEVs in the South Bay sub-region. This 

effort is part of the Sustainable South Bay Strategy, adopted by the Board of Directors 

of SBCCOG in October 2010, as the basis for the sub-regions contribution to the regional 

SCS and as a guide to land use planning and transportation. In a related effort funded 

by SCAG’s Compass Blueprint Program, SBCCOG, in conjunction the South Bay Livable 

Communities Working Group, developed a presentation to promote the South Bay Smart 

Suburban Vision to City Councils and Planning Commissions in the South Bay. The vision 

set forth a strategy that would intensify commercial uses at the corners of major arterials, transition mid-block strip commercial to residential, and encourage street-fronting 

buildings with parking at the rear. Taken together, these land use changes are intended to 

address the goals of SB 375 while creating an urban form supportive of NEVs. The study 

included potential NEV travel networks, mobility case studies, development models supportive of NEVs, land use analyses, and an economic analysis. 

SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES STRATEGY / LAND USE

As part of the 2012–2035 RTP/SCS development process, SCAG has worked collaboratively with local jurisdictions on comprehensive growth forecasts and land use strategies. 

This dialogue has coalesced around a series of land use scenarios under consideration for 

the 2012–2035 RTP/SCS that seek create land use patterns with the following objectives 

(among others):

 promote and enable shifts to non-auto transportation modes (transit, walk, bike);

 reduce trip lengths by promoting mixed use development and access to daily needs 

at the neighborhood scale; and

 increase overall energy and resource efficiency by allowing for a greater mix of 

unit types.

The 2012–2035 RTP/SCS workshops scenarios captured a range of land use strategies 

that vary in aggressiveness from scenario to scenario. The package of strategies includes 

increasing densities at priority locations in order to maximize investment in transit, 

increasing the share of development in more urban typologies in order to promote mixed 

use and neighborhood oriented development, and shifting the locations of projected jobs 

and housing to achieve an improved regional balance. Further, all scenarios attempted 

to improve the region’s responsiveness to housing market conditions by addressing 

a greater share of development to housing types where there is expected to be more 

demand (e.g. attached, rental, and small lot single family). The resulting land use policy 

The Role of Vehicle Technology in Meeting Long-Term Air Quality and Energy Challenges 3
encourages overall efficiencies in energy consumption and emissions associated with 

both transportation and building energy use.

Other Related Efforts for Fleet Conversion

Numerous efforts are underway to require and facilitate zero and/or near-zero emission vehicles throughout the State. Foremost, ARB has recently adopted their proposed 

Advanced Clean Car package of regulations on January 26, 2012. The Advanced Clean 

Cars program combines the control of soot, smog-causing pollutants and greenhouse 

gas emissions into a single coordinated package of requirements for model years 2017 

through 2025. The new rules will clean up gasoline and diesel powered cars, and deliver 

increasing numbers of zero-emission technologies, such as full battery electric cars, 

newly emerging plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell cars. According to 

ARB, in 2025, average consumers will see nearly $6,000 in fuel cost savings over the life 

of the car. Further, an ARB economic analysis indicates that the overall savings generated 

by the proposed rules will result in an additional 21,000 jobs in California in 2025, rising 

to 37,000 in 2030. The proposed Advanced Clean Cars package of regulations is further 

designed to deliver a total of 1.4 million zero-emission and plug-in hybrid vehicles on the 

road in California by 2025.

The Luskin Center for Innovation, UCLA, recently prepared the study, Realizing the 

Potential of the Los Angeles Electric Vehicle Market, to estimate the number of electric 

vehicles that would be purchased by City of Los Angeles residents over the next decade, 

and examine the effectiveness of policies to increase this number.

The Plug-in Hybrid & Electric Vehicle Research Center, under a grant from the California 

Energy Commission, prepared a plan to facilitate PEV market growth (TAKING CHARGE: 

Establishing California Leadership in the Plug-In Electric Vehicle Marketplace). The 

California Plug-In Electric Vehicle Collaborative, an ad hoc group of high-level stakeholders, played a guiding and consulting role in developing the plan that leverages their 

ongoing and extensive activities and recommends new actions that require their coordination. This plan aspires to facilitate PEV market growth so that, by the end of the decade, 

hundreds of thousands of PEVs are sold annually in California and the market contributes 

significantly to California’s ongoing economic, energy, and environmental policy objectives. Its strategic focus intends to solidify California as a technological, manufacturing, 

economic, and policy leader that benefits from—and shapes—the global PEV market for 

decades to come.

Southern California Clean Cities Coalition is currently assisting with the marketing 

and education outreach for three projects funded through U.S. Department of Energy 

(DOE) Clean Cities ARRA 2009 Petroleum Reduction Technology Projects solicitation. 

These projects include two initiatives with the South Coast Air Quality Management 

District (SCAQMD) totaling nearly $16 million: the UPS Ontario–Las Vegas LNG Corridor 

Expansion Project and the Heavy-Duty Natural Gas Drayage Truck Replacement Initiative. 

The third project is being implemented in partnership with the San Bernardino Associated 

Governments (SANBAG) and Ryder Truck Rental, Inc. to implement the largest heavy-duty 

natural gas truck project in the U.S. SANBAG received $19.2 million from the Department 

of Energy and the California Energy Commission to deploy 202 heavy-duty natural gas 

trucks and construct two liquefied natural gas fueling stations.

SCAG will continue to champion and work with our stakeholders on innovative and 

technology neutral, yet practicable approaches to the air quality and energy challenges 

facing our Region. As one means of doing so, the efforts of SCAG and other stakeholders, 

as described above, promises a synergistic impact on accelerating the penetration of zero 

and/or near-zero emission transportation technologies.

4 The Role of Vehicle Technology in Meeting Long-Term Air Quality and Energy Challenges

REGIONAL OFFICES

Imperial County

1405 North Imperial Avenue

Suite 1 

El Centro, CA 92243 

Phone: (760) 353-7800 

Fax: (760) 353-1877

Orange County

OCTA Building 

600 South Main Street

Suite 906

Orange, CA 92863 

Phone: (714) 542-3687 

Fax: (714) 560-5089 

Riverside County

3403 10th Street

Suite 805 

Riverside, CA 92501 

Phone: (951) 784-1513 

Fax: (951) 784-3925

San Bernardino County

Santa Fe Depot 

1170 West 3rd Street

Suite 140 

San Bernardino, CA 92410 

Phone: (909) 806-3556 

Fax: (909) 806-3572

Ventura County

950 County Square Drive

Suite 101 

Ventura, CA 93003 

Phone: (805) 642-2800 

Fax: (805) 642-2260 

818 West 7th Street, 12th Floor 

Los Angeles, CA 90017 

Phone: (213) 236-1800 

Fax: (213) 236-1825

www.scag.ca.gov

please recycle 2347 2012.04.09