LACI Launches Climate Innovation Transit Pilots with Warner Center Association, Delivering Zero Emission Mobility Solutions in the West San Fernando Valley
New Pilots in the Warner Center’s “Transportation Technology Innovation Zone” to Encourage Mode Shift, Reduce Vehicle Congestion in a Bustling Live-Work Community
Los Angeles, December 17, 2025 – The Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) is pleased to announce the launch of two new innovative pilot projects in partnership with the Warner Center Association. The pilots, which will operate in the Warner Center’s Transportation Technology Innovation Zone (TTIZ), will expand clean transportation options in West San Fernando Valley’s exciting live-work community.
The planned pilots include an electric microtransit shuttle service provided by Circuit, and mobile EV charging robots provided by EV Safe Charge. These low-cost solutions will be available for residents, employees, commuters, and visitors alike–all while testing market-ready technologies ahead of wider rollouts. Both Circuit and EV Safe Charge are graduates of LACI’s cleantech startup Incubation Program.
The TTIZ serves as a hub for innovation where LACI seeks to invite zero emissions mobility, charging, and other solutions into a dedicated ‘innovation sandbox’ to better serve the needs of over 14,000 Angelenos who call Warner Center their home as well as the 45,000 people who work in the community. LACI and the Warner Center Association are piloting these transportation technologies in the TTIZ testbed following LACI’s merger with Urban Movement Labs in 2024.
LACI’s regional Innovation Pilots test the viability, scalability, and real-world effectiveness of innovative technologies in diverse environments across Greater Los Angeles. The technology and business model innovation pilots–and the related learnings– in the TTIZ will also be shared via LACI’s national City Climate Innovation Challenge (Challenge).
“Through the new pilot solutions at Warner Center, LACI is expanding clean, zero-emission solutions in the heart of the West San Fernando Valley’s economic and community hub,” said Matt Petersen, President and CEO of LACI. “These pilots will not only provide learnings for better access to last mile solutions and accelerate the transition to clean transportation in the West San Fernando Valley, they provide key insights to inform the region as well as LACI’s national cohort of cities in our Challenge. We are excited to partner with two of our own portfolio companies–Cirucit and EV Safe Charge–along with the Warner Center Association to deliver these clean transportation innovations.”
“Warner Center has long been envisioned as a model for innovation, and these pilots help move that vision forward. Bringing these pilots to Warner Center is an important step toward building a cleaner and more connected future for our community, said Kim Brewer, Chairperson of the Warner Center Association. “Warner Center continues to evolve as a vibrant urban center, and these pilots further strengthen its role as a place where forward-thinking ideas can be tested and advanced. We are proud to have helped secure the funding that made this possible, and we are grateful for the support from Senator Stern, Assemblymember Gabriel, Councilmember Blumenfield, and Supervisor Horvath and our partners at LACI for their leadership and commitment to advancing sustainable transportation solutions in the West Valley.”
“The vibrant and growing Warner Center community deserves transportation options that increase mobility while protecting our air quality,” said Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath. “This pilot program shows how state and local partnerships can deliver real benefits to our communities, and I look forward to reviewing the data to guide the expansion of clean, zero-emissions transportation solutions in Warner Center, throughout the Third District, and across Los Angeles County.”
“Since we rolled out the Warner Center 2035 Specific Plan in 2013, the Warner Center has seen intense development, with thousands of new residents and transformative projects like the Village at Topanga and the upcoming Rams Village,” said Councilmember Bob Blumenfield. “The new microtransit circulator will make it much easier for people to get around the Warner Center without a car, and help fulfill its promise as a “live-work-play” neighborhood. I am proud to help sponsor this exciting transportation pilot program.”
The pilots will launch in two phases, with the EV microtransit shuttle service set to begin early in the first quarter of 2026, and the mobile EV charging robots set for deployment in early Q2 2026. The pilots are scheduled to run for an initial period of one year. Funding for the pilots comes from the State Legislature via the Governor’s Office of Business Development (GoBiz) and the Office of Councilmember Bob Blumenfield.
“Warner Center’s scale, density, and mix of uses make it a strong environment for microtransit to thrive,” said Daniel Kramer, Vice President of Business Development (West) at Circuit. “As a leader in all-electric microtransit services, we’re excited to bring our experience to this service and appreciative of the confidence placed in us by LACI and the Warner Center Association. This service is designed to complement existing public transportation, helping people move easily between destinations while supporting an area that continues to grow and evolve.”
“We are thrilled to be part of this important pilot with LACI and the Warner Center Association,” said Caradoc Ehrenhalt, Founder & CEO of EV Safe Charge, and inventor of ZiGGY. “As EV adoption accelerates, communities need charging solutions that are flexible, scalable, and ready to meet drivers where they are, which is exactly the reason why we created ZiGGY. Warner Center is the ideal place to demonstrate how mobile robotic EV charging can expand access without the delays and costs of installing traditional infrastructure. We are proud to help bring innovative clean-mobility solutions to a neighborhood built on innovation.”
ABOUT LACI:
The Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) is unlocking innovation by scaling cleantech startups, transforming markets through catalytic partnerships with policymakers, innovators, and market leaders, and enhancing communities through workforce training, pilots and other programs. Founded as an economic development initiative by the City of Los Angeles and its Department of Water & Power (LADWP) in 2011, LACI is recognized as one of the top 10 innovative business incubators in the world by UBI. LACI has helped 506 portfolio companies raise over $1 billion in funding, generated $344 million in revenue, and created 2,626 jobs throughout the Los Angeles region, with a long term economic impact of more than $733 million.
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