San Francisco, Portland, and San Diego lead the charge to ensure everything from power grids to building codes are prepared for arrival of electric cars.
The first wave of electric cars is expected to hit the markets at the end of 2010, with the Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt, which will travel up to 100 and 40 miles, respectively, on fully charged batteries. Urban areas in the west are starting to plan now for their arrival, encouraged by excited consumers.
"In cities like San Francisco, Portland, Ore., and San Diego, a combination of green consciousness and enthusiasm for new technology seems to be stirring public interest in the cars."
Preparations include everything from creating infrastructure to revising codes. San Francisco is revising its building code to ensure that new buildings have chargers, some nearby high-tech companies are ordering charging stations to be installed immediately, and Pacific Gas and Electric is hard at work ensuring that the power grid will be ready to support neighborhoods with heavy electric car use.
FULL STORY: Cities Prepare for Life with the Electric Car
'Economic Mapping' to Help Regional Planning
Identifying potential hubs and activity centers allows regions to foster economic growth and density.
Plan to Link 50 Miles of Dallas Trails Seeks City Partnership to Complete Funding
Dallas' Circuit Trail Conservancy has raised $23 million dollars to fund the construction of connectors that would link 50 miles of trails, now they're looking for an additional $20 million in bond money to get the project fully funded.
London Gets £13 Million to Boost Electric Vehicles
London is one of the four U.K. cities that will become international pioneers of green vehicle technology, after getting £13 million (€17m, $18.5m) to boost the number of plug-in cars on their roads.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research