Electric Vehicles

Electric-Fuel Scale-Up in California: Policy and Regulatory Support

Tim Lipman
Witt, Maggie
Williams, Brett
Bomberg, Matthew
2011

Advances in electric-drive technology, including lithium-ion batteries, and strong policy drivers, such as the Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32), have contributed to a more promising market in California for the widespread introduction of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs)—comprised of plug-in hybrids (PHVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs). However, significant technological, market-related, and institutional barriers remain. High battery costs, infrastructure requirements, and consumer unfamiliarity with PEVs create hurdles to the widespread commercialization of PEVs and thus shroud...

Strategy for Overcoming Cost Hurdles of Plug-In–Hybrid Battery in California: Integrating Post-Vehicle Secondary Use Values

Brett Williams
Tim Lipman
2010

Advances in electric drive technology, including lithium ion batteries as well as the development of strong policy drivers such as California's Global Warming Solutions Act, now contribute to a more promising market environment for the widespread introduction of plug-in vehicles in California. Nevertheless, battery costs remain high. This study explores a strategy for overcoming the significant hurdle to electric transportation fuel use presented by high battery costs. It describes offsetting plug-in-vehicle battery costs with value derived from post-vehicle stationary use of hybrid...

Business Model for Subscription Service for Electric Vehicles Including Battery Swapping, for San Francisco Bay Area, California

Jeffrey Lidicker
Tim Lipman
Brett Williams
2011

A proposed strategy for facilitating the introduction of electric-drive vehicles calls for vehicle purchasers to own the vehicle but to lease the battery from a third party to help reduce the first-cost hurdle to consumers. A further extension of this concept for all-battery electric vehicles (EVs) would include the ability for consumers to exchange their discharged batteries for charged ones at battery swap stations. This factor would extend the driving range for EV service subscribers but with increased costs to build and operate the stations. This analysis centers around a base-case...

Economic Assessment of Electric-Drive Vehicle Operation in California and Other U.S. Regions

Jeffrey Lidicker
Tim Lipman
Susan Shaheen
2010

This study examines the relative economics of electric vehicle operation in the context of current electricity rates in specific utility service territories. Fourteen utility territories offering electric vehicle (EV) rates were examined, with a focus on California but including other regions of the United States. The consumer costs of EV charging were examined in comparison with gasoline price data, geographic location, and three highly variable gasoline price periods: July 2008, January 2009, and July 2009. In a switch from a conventional 23 mpg (10.2-L/100 km) vehicle to a 300 Wh/mi...

Degradation-Model-Agnostic Energy Throughput Control for EV Range Preservation and Battery Lifetime Extension via Cell-Level Inverters

Jiang, Shida
Tao, Shengyu
Shi, Junzhe
Scott Moura
2026

A conventional electric vehicle (EV) powertrain relies on a centralized high-voltage DC–AC inverter, thereby limiting cell-level control and potentially reducing overall driving range and battery lifetime. This paper studies an H-bridge-based cell-level inverter topology that performs power conversion at the cell level, enabling independent control of individual cells and expanding the design space for battery management. Leveraging these additional degrees of freedom, we propose a degradation-model-agnostic energy-throughput control strategy that preserves usable energy and EV range while...

Driving Grid Readiness: Integrating Electric Vehicles into California’s Energy System

Wolfe, Brooke
Hwang, Roland
Timothy Lipman
2026

California utilities and policymakers must ensure that the distribution grid is prepared for this new load, while maintaining reliable electricity service and keeping costs low for ratepayers. As the EV market evolves, the distribution grid must rapidly grow into a smarter, more flexible, and more agile system. With well-designed charging programs and new technologies, additional EV charging capacity holds the promise of creating downward pressure on electricity rates. Advances in technology can support this promise through greater vehicle-to-grid integration (VGI) (i.e., strategies for...

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Drayage Trucks Can Advance California’s Climate Goals and Provide Health Benefits for Front Line Communities

Timothy Lipman
Collins, Stephanie
Horvath, Arpad
2026

California has ambitious goals to introduce zero-emission technologies across various transportation sectors. Significant progress has been made over the past decades in deploying battery electric light-duty trucks, but heavy-duty diesel trucks are harder to “decarbonize” due to their operational demands and duty cycles, even though the benefits of replacing heavily polluting diesel trucks are significant. Front line communities where diesel vehicles operate the most, especially those near seaports and warehouses, bear the brunt of the pollution from these vehicles and stand to benefit the...

Decarbonizing Heavy-Duty Transportation Modes with Electricity, Biofuels, and Hydrogen

Timothy Lipman
2026

Heavy-duty transportation modes including trucks, buses, and seaport and airport equipment are relatively hard to decarbonize because of their demanding performance requirements and other factors. The California Scoping Plan for Achieving Carbon Neutrality calls for carbon-neutral transportation across all modes by 2045, with different sectors reaching 100% zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) sales by earlier dates, depending on the type of vehicle (see EO N-79-20). For public transit buses, the state’s Innovative Clean Transit rule requires both large and small transit agencies to cease...

Mapping the Potential of Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles Across Transportation Sectors in California

Fulton, Lewis,
Lamichhaine, Madhu
Timothy Lipman
Coffee, Daniel
Kong, David
2026

This report develops a transportation hydrogen roadmap for California projected to 2045, building on previous UC ITS work, in part for the ARCHES hydrogen hub for trucks and ports. This study adds modes such as airports, aircraft, rail systems, and fuel-cell light-duty vehicles. Based on a scenario of high adoption of hydrogen-fueled transport, these modes and sectors would use 1000 tonnes/day of hydrogen by 2035 and 5000 tonnes/day by 2045. To 2035, about 40% of the expected growth occurs in heavy-duty trucking. Another 20% is used by other truck types, about 20% by light-duty vehicles,...

Navigating the Gig Economy: Transportation Labor Challenges Facing California’s App-based Ridehailing and Courier Drivers

Susan Shaheen
Wolfe, Brooke
Adam Cohen
2026

Given the dynamic landscape surrounding the classification of workers in California, it is important to consider how the existing legal and regulatory environment may impact app-based gig drivers, including transportation network companies (TNCs, also known as ridehailing) and courier network services (CNS). Using a multi-method approach, we conducted a literature review (n = 41 sources), expert interviews (n = 8), and case study analysis (n = 7) between October 2022 to May 2024 to better understand how California’s gig drivers are impacted by state legislation and regulation (i.e.,...