On-demand electric car-sharing program coming to L.A.'s most polluted and underserved areas

Think you can't afford an electric car? Think again. L.A. is launching a new car-share program that will allow residents to pick up an electric car on a streetcorner with the tap of a card. BlueLA, as the program is called, will launch in late November or early December. 

Sierra Club Angeles Chapter works hard to make cities more sustainable. We support public transit, electric car programs, on-demand bicycles and electric MTA buses as a real-time way to clean Southern California's air. BlueLA seeks to cut down on vehicle pollution and CO2 emissions, particularly in poorer areas where residents breathe some of the dirtiest air in the city. BlueLA is tasked with bringing this clean transportation option to underserved individuals and communities by offering deep discounts based on income, and placing pick-up points in their neighborhoods. 

While other car-sharing programs exist, BlueLA will be the first of its kind to serve low-income communities.

Come check out BlueLA from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 16 at the free National Drive Electric Week event in downtown L.A.

“The two-year pilot is expected to recruit a minimum of 7,000 new car-sharing users, who in turn are expected to sell or avoid purchasing 1,000 private vehicles, reducing annual greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 2,150 metric tons of CO2,” said Susana Reyes, vice president of the Sierra Club Board of Directors. "Not only does the program encourage the use of electric vehicles, it also makes electric vehicles available for use to people who otherwise would not be able to afford them. ... The program is meant as a supplement to public transportation and will help to cut down on heavy traffic. This fundamental goal of making electric vehicles available to more people closely aligns with the vision held by the Sierra Club’s national Clean Transportation for All Campaign."

And, if successful, BlueLA would be a critical step in reducing noise and air pollution and cutting carbon-dioxide emissions too. "Communities to be served include Westlake, Koreatown, Pico-Union, Downtown L.A., Echo Park, Boyle Heights, and Chinatown,” Reyes said. Future expansion of the program will serve areas of Los Angeles which display need according to pollution levels in the area as well as a neighborhood's income level.

How the program works

BlueLA requires participants to be at least 18 years old and have a valid driver's license (no driving insurance needed). You sign up with a credit or debit card and link your BlueLA account to an L.A. Metro transit TAP card. The TAP card will allow you to unlock a vehicle and go. The idea is to take short trips around town, like buying groceries or going to a doctor's appointment, not long hauls. It works a bit like the bike-share rentals that have gone up around the city too. 

When you sign up, you'll create an account that links to a TAP card. This allows you to simply tap the card to unlock and use one of the vehicles. BlueLA's electric cars are meant for short trips only. Vehicles may be returned to any charging station regardless of the user’s starting point. What does it cost? You pay up to $10 a month for the service and a per-minute cost depending on the length of your trip. To qualify for discounted fees, proof of low-income status must be provided. 

Right now, you can sign up only through a BlueLA ambassador. Once the program launches, you'll also be able to sign up through the BlueLA website or through the program's app. 

Find more information at BlueLA.com.

Megan Rae Watson is a creative writing major studying at the University of California Riverside.