The $22m (€20.2m) “Charge Ready” project is a pilot scheme aimed at investigating how infrastructure can improve adoption of plug-in vehicles, and was approved by the California Public Utilities Commission this week.

CPE is inviting applications from locations will include workplaces, campuses, recreational areas and residential complexes, targeting at least 10% to be installed in disadvantaged communities.

The utility will install and maintain the electrical infrastructure, while participants will own, operate and maintain the charging equipment, aided by a rebate of between 25% and 100% of the installation cost.

Once complete, SCE will seek approval to launch the next phase of the scheme, a $355m (€325.5m) project installing 30,000 stations across its service territory.

Caroline Choi, SCE vice president for energy and environmental policy, said: “A major barrier to electric vehicle ownership is that there aren’t enough charging stations where people normally park their cars. We believe that by giving electric vehicle owners more options to charge their vehicles, this program can actually help to accelerate the market in Southern California.”