California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order last September to have all new passenger car and truck sales in the state be all-electric by 2035

With a new President no longer focused on denying California its Clean Air Act waiver, the electric-car industry group Veloz has rolled out a campaign that attempts to break down the barriers surrounding EV adoption that serve as critical first steps toward making the 2035 target a reality. 

According to the group, which moderated a call Thursday on the target, California fluctuates between 45% and 50% of nationwide EV sales. As of the third quarter of 2020 there were about 764,000 cumulative EV sales in California, versus nearly 1.7 million nationwide.

Mark Ruffalo animation in

Mark Ruffalo animation in

The superhero-centric campaign, which aims to target disadvantaged and low-income communities, features animated versions of Mark Ruffalo, who plays Hulk in the Marvel movies. Chloe Bennet, who stars in "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.," and a series of real-life superheroes.

Including music from Ayoni, who is Los Angeles–based and Barbadian-born, the campaign delivers what it terms “an optimistic message the world could use right now."

“As California leads the way to a zero-emissions new car fleet by 2035, this campaign aims to show the country and world how to get there faster,” says Veloz.

Actually called “40 Million Reasons to Go Electric,” it’s focused around dispelling outdated myths about EV cost, choice, and performance, among other factors that function as barriers for EV adoption. 

In previous campaigns—featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger in several particularly memorable ones—Veloz has aimed simply for awareness of the advantages of EVs. 

The animation includes the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Audi E-Tron, Nissan Leaf, Tesla Model 3, Chevrolet Bolt EV, and many others, and the focus appears to be that there’s now (or soon) a wide range of forms, functions, and prices among EVs. 

Audi e-tron, on the Golden Gate Bridge

Audi e-tron, on the Golden Gate Bridge

In the call, several experts representing automakers and public agencies converged on the concern that infrastructure and charging access—for those in multi-unit dwellings, for instance—may be a limiting factor for a second inflection point as EV adoption nears 100% and 2035. 

The campaign extends to ElectricForAll.org, which includes the Home Charging Advisor, hosted on behalf of Electrify America and the VW diesel settlement, that allows shoppers anywhere in the U.S. to input their zip code and get a localized summary of available Level 2 charging equipment and any eligible purchase incentives. 

What is the most important piece that’s in the way of getting to 100% right now? Watch the video above if you haven't, and let us (and Veloz, perhaps) know what the focus should be for the next one.