California Lagging on Electric Car Chargers to Hit Ambitious Goal

California needs dramatic growth in the number of available charging stations to meet its goal of 5 million zero-emission vehicles within a decade.

The state has more than 700,000 electric vehicles on the roads, but places to stop and charge are proving to be a key obstacle.

“Infrastructure has risen to the top of the list, even above the cost of vehicles as one of the key barriers,” said Bill Van Amburg, executive vice president of CALSTART, a nonprofit focusing on expanding the high-tech clean-transportation industry.

Van Amburg spoke March 25 during ...