As California is poised to adopt new standards designed to cut emissions and expand the market for electric vehicles (EVs), a new report conducted by nonprofit research organization Next 10 suggests the state is set for a leadership role in the EV sector.
The report reveals that California took in $467 million in global EV venture capital investment (69% of total dollars) in the first half of 2011 and, along with Michigan, is the top patent holder (generating 300 patents each between 2008 and 2010) for new EV technology in the U.S.
Globally, California trails only Japan and South Korea in EV-related patents but exceeds other top-runners including Germany, Taiwan and France, Next 10 notes.
EV jobs, meanwhile, expanded 4% in California from 2009 to 2010, and manufacturing in the state's EV sector is expanding, with a 51% increase in employment during the same period.
California also ranks first in the nation in total charging stations (609) and first in the nation per capita (16.3 charging stations per million residents), according to the report.
