A City Paves the Way

The city of West Hollywood has perhaps given the electric vehicle another small jolt toward commercial adoption by declaring itself an “Electric Vehicle Model City.” The designation, adopted last month, puts the city on record as supporting EV technology and makes it a part of the Southern California Economic Partnership, a consortium of cities sharing information on EV adoption.

West Hollywood has already done more than just talk about EVs. Since 1994 it has required that new commercial and residential development include wiring capable of later accommodating an EV charging station. Other cities in Southern California and the Southwest have since passed similar ordinances, but West Hollywood was one of the first. The city’s municipal garage is wired already.

West Hollywood is also planning to include EVs in its own tiny municipal fleet. While the city recently purchased several new conventional cars and won’t need to replace them for at least five years, it intends to replace its pickup trucks with electric versions within a couple of years. General Motors, which introduced its EV1 passenger automobile late last year, is developing an electric pickup, as is Ford.

The city’s major task, until those trucks are on the market, is to settle on technology for the charging stations it will need to build within the city limits. None are presently operational, and experts are uncertain about which charging methods and technology will dominate once EVs are widely adopted. The consortium should be helpful in this decision, along with the Southern California Air Quality Management District, which has an active interest in EV and other alternative vehicle technologies.

West Hollywood’s decision is modest but paves the way. It deserves a pat on the back.