2021: A YEAR IN REVIEW

Two thousand twenty-one saw a plethora of advancements in the electric mobility space, from a record number of charging installations to innovative new EV models hitting the market to progressive climate legislation that is spurring the sea change away from pollutant-emitting ICEs. Amidst all this, the EVCS team once again looks back at the last 12 months to take stock of our own unique achievements in advancing the goal of a cleaner future.

Sustainable is Attainable

We became an EV fast-charging network operator powered by 100% renewable energy. To do this, we purchase a gigawatt-hour of electricity from one of our dedicated clean energy suppliers like wind and solar farms to offset each gigawatt-hour of electricity we use that doesn’t come from a renewable source.

A Brand Apart

We executed an ambitious marketing and publicity campaign aimed at communicating the ethos of the EVCS brand: accessibility, responsibility, sustainability. We hired professional photographers to generate quality images of our new charging installations, expanded our website’s blog content, and employed boutique publicity firm PR DEPT to ensure our messaging was reaching our core audience: you.

Capital Commitment

In April, we closed a credit facility with the Commodity and Global Markets division of Macquarie Group, an environmentally conscious financial services company with over half a century of unbroken profitability and nearly three-quarters of a trillion dollars under management. Our multi-million dollar deal allows us to continue the fast-paced expansion of our DCFC network as EV demand grows.

Media Matters

In May, we made public our partnership with iKahan Media, a certified outdoor media company, to employ a “digital billboard network” that fuses our chargers with state-of-the-art LED screens used for advertising and promotions. As a result, we created a new revenue stream for site owners that further improves the economic viability of hosting chargers.

Fit for Collaboration

June wasn’t all gloom as we began collaborating with Fitness International, parent company of national health club operator LA Fitness, that requires us to install and manage DCFCs at their various locations across SoCal. Their company benefits from revenue-sharing on every kWh charged while simultaneously offering a convenient new amenity to a rapidly growing market segment.

WCEH Gets a Facelift

In August, we announced that we were forging ahead with a plan to upgrade the 44 existing chargers along Oregon’s leg of the West Coast Electric Highway while also adding three more and turning 11 into large-scale “superstations.” The project was generously funded through a $4 million grant by ODOT, and in return, we rewarded EV drivers with free charging at these sites until the renovation is complete.

Partners in Clime

Less than a month ago, we revealed that we had joined forces with leading EV charging technology company Tritium in our quest to provide scalable solutions for carbon-neutral infrastructure. Our contract has us purchasing over 400 Tritium fast chargers as part of our strategy to significantly increase our network across California, Oregon, and Washington by the end of 2022.

Our DNA is Green

Our efforts have made a significant environmental impact. In 2021, our chargers saw over 195,000 kWh of charging, which resulted in estimated greenhouse gas reductions from 350,000 fewer ICE miles driven as well as the sequestering of carbon across the equivalent of 171 acres of US forests.

Looking Ahead to ‘22

With 2021 now mostly behind us, we again “charge” headfirst into the future. Our 2022 agenda is teeming with action items that include lobbying for and utilizing greater government incentives that increase EV adoption, building up our EV infrastructure across multiple US states, including renovation of the WCEH, facilitating numerous new strategic partnerships with both public and private entities, and spreading good cheer as we visibly reduce our carbon footprint.

Thanks to our readership for supporting this blog and we’ll see you again in the new year! Happy holidays from EVCS!

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Navigating California’s New EV Mandate

California’s going all in on electric. On August 25th, Governor Gavin Newsom made a very important announcement concerning the future of transportation in the Golden State: “We can solve this climate crisis if we focus on the big, bold steps necessary to cut pollution. California now has a groundbreaking, world-leading plan to achieve 100 percent zero-emission vehicle sales by 2035.” Big and bold, indeed. And while highly encouraging, it brings up a number of questions moving forward.

How EVCS is Repairing Reliability Concerns

One of the biggest concerns among EV drivers today is the reliability of public chargers. One recent survey from the Department of Bioengineering at UC Berkeley claims as many as 23% of public chargers in the Bay Area alone are, as Wired sums up, “nonfunctioning at any given time, stymied by broken screens, shoddy credit card or payment systems, network connection failures, or damaged plugs.” And that’s in a locale prioritizing the conversion to electric. Testimony from motorists seems to corroborate these findings. A CEC survey of 1,290 EV drivers found that fully 60% had experienced damaged or inoperable chargers, while almost half needed assistance from customer service. We find this wholly unacceptable and have taken measures to ensure that chargers in the EVCS network rise to the standard of operability our customers expect. Here are a few ways we’re doing that:

Installation of the Month (July 2022): Kenwood Inn & Spa

A key focus for us over the last several years has been the installation of additional chargers at holiday hot spots, tourist destinations, and other key points of interest. Not only will it help dispel long-range travel anxiety among many new EV drivers, but it will also lead to a significant reduction in carbon emissions otherwise generated by gas-guzzlers during peak vacation seasons. Moreover, our egalitarian approach to site selection means we’re just as likely to install a charger at a McDonald’s as we are at a Morton’s since we understand the value in catering to a broad clientele. However, higher net worth individuals continue to drive EV sales in the US (a June 2021 Fuels Institute study specifies middle-aged males with household incomes over $100,000), so catering to venues that offer a luxury experience will encourage even greater participation by this group while serving as a bellwether for lower-income drivers who are attracted to the idea of electric mobility as a symbol of status.

Mexico to Canada EV Road Trip: EVCS Interview

We sat down with EV owner and enthusiast Anthony Williams, a 60-year-old business owner from San Diego, who recently commemorated the 10-year anniversary of his first trans-American road trip in an EV by retracing the same route to see what had changed in the world of EV fast charging, for better or for worse. Below are some of his insights and feedback.

Installation of the Month (June 2022): KPC Anaheim Global Medical Center

“For us, healthcare is not only about caring for our patients, but also about investing in the people who live in our communities.” These are the words emblazoned across the home page of the KPC Anaheim Global Medical Center’s website. Facilities like these are attractive partners for us because, like us, their goal is the betterment of humanity. In fact, just replace “healthcare” with “electric mobility” and “patients” with “planet,” and you have the EVCS mission statement in a nutshell. Allying with kindred spirits creates a natural synergy for us through the sharing of core values like customer service and an improved quality of life. Imagine then our excitement when KPC decided to install four of our newest DC fast chargers on their Anaheim property, giving us the opportunity to continue expanding our network southward.