California utilities propose a $1 billion electric vehicle push

Three of California’s largest utilities, including San Diego Gas & Electric, have put together proposals totaling more than $1 billion to try to electrify the state’s transportation sector.

The costs of the requests by Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and SDG&E will be passed on to ratepayers and still need to be approved by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), but the utilities say the projects will go a long way to reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

Transportation accounts for 36 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in California, the largest amount of any sector.