California Power Grid Is on Track to Handle the Influx of EVs
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office tells reporters that the state’s power grid is on track to handle the influx of electric vehicles on California roads resulting from a new state ban on the sale of gasoline-powered cars here by 2035.

Some electric vehicles, including Ford’s F-150 Lightning, actually return power to the grid from the battery, and some owners can charge their vehicles during low-demand hours and power their homes from the vehicles during high-demand times.
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office tells MotorTrend that the state’s power grid is on track to handle the influx of electric vehicles on California roads resulting from a new state ban on the sale of gasoline-powered cars here by 2035.
The ban, approved by the California Air Resources Board late last month, resulted in high-octane buzz, including speculation other states could follow suit. Reactions also included questions about whether California has enough power supply and infrastructure for all of the new electric-powered vehicles the ban will bring, especially after state residents were asked to avoid electric-vehicle charging during peak hours during the recent heat wave.
The governor’s office told MotorTrend that the phased ban on gasoline-powered cars is designed to “end our dependence on oil, and bolster our grid with more clean, reliable energy” in order to help arrest climate change and the extreme weather that goes with it.
Newsom’s office said the state legislature is “spending billions of dollars to accelerate our transition to 100 percent clean power” and has increased the state’s available power by more than 4,000 megawatts, mostly from clean technologies, such as battery storage. Newsom’s office said it has a plan in motion toward carbon neutrality and projected 68 percent electric grid growth by 2045.
Some electric vehicles, including Ford’s F-150 Lightning, actually return power to the grid from the battery, and some owners can charge their vehicles during low-demand hours and power their homes from the vehicles during high-demand times.
More Dealer Ops

Dealer Debrief: Defection Data & EV Updates
In this week's debrief, host Lauren Lawrence discusses how to use defection data to your advantage and the latest on EV sales and charging infrastructure.
Read More →
How Defection Data is Bridging the Dealership Conversion Gap
Lead volume is flat, cross-shopping is up and brand loyalty is in retreat. As confident sales teams keep losing buyers they thought they had, daily industry sales data is showing dealers exactly where their funnel is breaking and how to fix it without buying a single new lead.
Read More →
Dealer Debrief: Where are you losing customers?
In this week's debrief, host Lauren Lawrence discusses the hidden leaks in dealerships where you might be losing customers without even realizing it.
Read More →
Dealer Debrief: Improving Your Inventory Management
In this week's debrief, host Lauren Lawrence covers a new survey that shows what service technicians really want and two launches that could help improve your inventory and vehicle life cycle management.
Read More →
Ladies and Gentlemen, This Is a Dealership: Why the Fundamentals Still Decide Who Wins
A teaching moment by a legendary football coach happens to apply perfectly in the auto retail space. Learn what it is and how to use it to your store’s advantage.
Read More →
What Market Timing Mistakes Mean for Your Reinsurance Program
When volatility hits, dealer-owned reinsurance programs face a familiar temptation: pull back and wait for calmer waters. New data from BOK Financial shows why that instinct can quietly cost you years of surplus growth.
Read More →
Dealer Ads and the FTC
The agency has made it clear in recent enforcement actions and warnings, in auto retail and other industries, that advertised prices must include all nonoptional costs to the consumer.
Read More →
Used Autos Supply Dwindles
The March shopping surge, despite high prices, cut into inventory by the most since the thick of the pandemic, Cox Automotive analysts calculated.
Read More →
Managing Risk Effectively Through Changing Times
The variables influencing risk pricing have changed significantly over the past five years. Being proactive and responsive to emerging trends is not optional but essential.
Read More →
Survey Reveals What Won't Fix What's Breaking Car Sales
AutoPayPlus says extra-long auto loans are trapping consumers and threatening the dealer trade-in cycle, and that the industry is leveraging the wrong tools to combat high MSRPs.
Read More →
