Electric Transportation

Electric-drive technologies play a critical role not only in efforts to improve air quality, but also in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. Southern California Edison is working closely with government agencies, as well as public and private organizations, to provide a safe, efficient and reliable power infrastructure to support these technologies.

Climate Change Impacts

According to a wide range of scientific studies, temperature increases from rising concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere – due to heavy reliance on fossil fuels – can have major long-term impacts around the world. In California, these impacts can include:

• Greater ozone formation, leading to increased smog levels and worse air quality.
• More respiratory diseases and heat-related illnesses.
• A decline in the state’s water supply due to reduced snowpack runoff.
• Coastal damage from rising sea levels.
• Changes in vegetation and crop patterns that can impact California’s public health, economy and ecology.

Climate Change and Transportation

California data indicates that the transportation sector is the single largest contributor of greenhouse gases in the state, producing nearly 40% of all such emissions.

Electric-drive technologies, though, can make a difference. In an analysis completed in 2005, TIAX LLC, a collaborative research and development firm, found that these technologies:

• Can reduce greenhouse gas emissions from 65% to 100% (depending on the source of the electricity).
• Are expected to displace up to 4 million tons per year of greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. Every million tons of greenhouse gas emissions removed equates to retiring 129,000 2005 model year gasoline vehicles in California.

California’s major initiatives to address climate change aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, which represents a reduction of about 25%.

To help address concerns over transportation’s contributions to climate change, in 2004 the California Air Resources Board (ARB) approved landmark regulations that would require automakers to begin selling vehicles with reduced greenhouse gas emissions by model year 2009. However, the regulations are currently stalled due to lawsuits and other issues.

SCE’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Role

SCE’s electric-drive fleet demonstrates the significant greenhouse gas reduction benefits of electric transportation. Our nearly 300 electric vehicles have avoided the emission of approximately 9,100 tons of greenhouse gas emissions and pollutants by more than 2,100 tons.

But there’s more. At SCE we show our commitment to greenhouse gas reductions on a daily basis in other ways, through our residential and business energy efficiency programs that help lower electricity use (and, by extension, electricity generation); through our leadership in use of renewable resources; through our award-winning “WasteNot” program focused on recycling and waste reduction; and much more.

For additional information on SCE’s environmental leadership, visit the Environment section.

To learn more about climate change and California’s efforts to address this important issue, visit the California Climate Change Portal. 

Electricity…Sustaining Our Transportation Future.