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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Installation of the Month (June 2021): Hyatt Place Riverside/Downtown

The ability to travel is something many of us take for granted. Our Interstate Highway System allows us to freely traverse state boundaries – to go wherever we choose whenever we choose – from the snow-capped Colorado Rockies to the soupy Everglade swamplands to the historic lighthouses of coastal New England. However, EV drivers are more acutely aware of their travel limitations because many areas of the country have yet to adopt pro-electric infrastructure policies, often leaving them with few ground-travel options other than ICE vehicles. We knew getting more Americans to embrace the electric revolution would require buy-in from the hospitality industry. As such, much of our focus has gone toward hotels that, by serving as site hosts for charging stations, can help kickstart that ubiquitous access required to convert many EV holdouts.

Wall Street Journal Piece Brings Up Questions… And We Answer

Stephen Wilmot’s recent article in the Wall Street Journal, “Investors Look for an EV Charge,” debates the merits of investing in EV infrastructure, admitting that while chargers likely make for better investments than cars, the sector still holds many potential pitfalls that should be considered before jumping in. While that may be true, many of the examples backing up this assertion cite the business models of the largest EV installers in the country while failing to consider what less visible but faster-growing companies like EVCS are doing to mitigate such risks. Below are a few quotes from the article and our thoughts on them, including how we’re different.

Commentary on EV Industry Profitability Claims

In a recent Driving.ca article titled “EV-Charging Industry is Doing Everything Except Making Money,” author David R. Baker makes a compelling argument that the EV infrastructure sector is a revenue desert, essentially incapable of generating enough cash flow to sustain profitability due to a lack of interest from motorists. “The dilemma boils down to demand,” he states, before adding that “lots of people still driving gasoline-powered cars won’t consider going electric until they see charging stations widely deployed.”

Installation of the Month (May 2021): LADOT Lot 656

The Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) notes on its website that ICE vehicles are one of the city’s top contributors to air pollution, accounting for 19% of all greenhouse gas emissions, before proclaiming, “We can do better… We’re investing in public transit, testing new technology, and adopting mobility innovations for a cleaner environment and brighter future.” At first, it might just sound like flowery rhetoric, but we can personally attest to that commitment. Starting in 2019, LADOT partnered with us to install DCFCs at 57 city-owned lots, with almost 30% of those installations now completed. This alliance has been integral in promoting our goal of zero-emission mobility in the City of Angels by facilitating greater access to infrastructure.

Addressing Pain Points in Creating EV Infrastructure

A recent GovTech.com article titled “How Biden Plans to Build 500 EV Charging Stations” discusses the President’s goals for creating a nationwide network of 500,000 such installations by 2030. While it does a smart job laying out many of the pain points we face in facilitating EV adoption, the mention of solutions was far less prevalent, and ones that were mentioned seemed speculative or tenuous. However, over the last three years, EVCS has already taken the lead in addressing many of these challenge areas, allowing us to dominate the installation market across the West Coast.