California-based Pacific Gas & Electric Co. (PG&E) and Volkswagen of America have both announced plans to develop electric vehicle infrastructure projects in the United States.
PG&E has promised to install 25,000 electric vehicle charging stations at commercial and residential centers around Northern and Central California. Volkswagen of America revealed during the Electric Drive Congress in Washington that it will commit $10 million for upcoming projects.
"The proposal PG&E filed today creates a monopoly in EV charging equipment and services that will stifle growth and innovation in the market," ChargePoint Chief Executive Pasquale Romano said in a statement, according to the Los Angeles Times.
"PG&E's proposal will hamper the industry, is bad for ratepayers, bad for EV drivers and bad for California's emissions reduction goals."
ChargePoint, an electric vehicle infrastructure company based in California, will also be working with BMW of North America on the development.
The deals, however, have encountered some resistance from some California residents opposed to higher public utility bills. If regulators approve the plans, the average California customer would see a 70-cent increase in their monthly bill from 2018 to 2022.
"Our proposed build-out of [electric vehicle] charging infrastructure aims to accelerate customer adoption of clean, quiet, and efficient plug-in vehicles by reducing lingering range anxiety," PG&E Chief Executive Officer Tony Earley said in a statement, according to The Daily Caller.
