Part of ¡Adelante Watsonville!, the program expands equitable access to clean transportation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Watsonville, CA [November 14th, 2025] — The City of Watsonville, in partnership with Míocar and Ecology Action, has officially launched a new electric vehicle (EV) car sharing program designed to bring affordable, zero-emission mobility to residents across the city. This initiative is a cornerstone of the broader ¡Adelante Watsonville! program, which aims to make clean transportation options accessible for all, especially for Spanish-speaking and low-income families. The program focuses on removing transportation barriers through bilingual outreach, community partnerships, and culturally relevant mobility solutions.
The Míocar program will begin with eight EVs stationed at key community locations including Watsonville City Hall, Romo Park, and the Municipal Airport. Vehicles will be available 24/7 and can be reserved via the ZEV Co-op app. The pricing is designed to be accessible:
- $20 one-time membership fee
- $4/hour
- $35/day (24 hours)
- $0.35/mile after the first 150 miles
“At Míocar, we believe that mobility is a human right,” said Alberto Rodríguez, Operations Manager at Míocar. “We’re honored to partner with Watsonville to ensure that more people, regardless of income or background, can access clean, reliable transportation when they need it most.”
This launch is made possible by a grant from the California Air Resources Board (CARB), which is providing a total of $786,680 to support staff time, vehicle procurement, grant implementation and indirect costs. This investment ensures the program can deliver affordable EV access and robust community engagement.
“This is a tangible step toward transportation justice,” said Celeste Gutierrez, Program Manager at Ecology Action and Watsonville resident. “We’ve worked closely with our community partners to ensure this program reflects the needs and values of Watsonville residents and makes sustainable forms of transportation accessible for more people.”
The City of Watsonville has played a key role in site selection, permitting, and community engagement. Public chargers are already installed at several city-owned lots, with additional locations under review for future expansion.
“We are proud to collaborate with the nonprofits Míocar and Ecology Action to make shared electric vehicles accessible to Watsonville residents,” said Leonardo Cruz, Resilient Community Programs Coordinator at the City of Watsonville.
Watsonville residents interested in joining the Míocar EV car sharing program can learn more online at https://miocar.org/ or download the ZEV Co-op app for iPhone or Android to sign up. Registration approval takes 2–3 business days with a bilingual orientation available.
¡Adelante Watsonville! is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Invest dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment—particularly in disadvantaged communities.
To learn more about ¡Adelante Watsonville!, go to https://letsmodo.org/watsonville/
Media Contact:
Celeste Gutierrez
Program Manager, Ecology Action
cgutierrez@ecoact.org
831-515-1393
