6 Reasons Why America Needs EVCS

EVCS has come a long way over a short time. In less than three years, we’ve taken a vision by company co-founders Gustavo Occhiuzzo and Ian Vishnevsky – one that incentivizes responsible mobility through increased access to charging infrastructure – and built upon it. We’ve partnered with state and local DOTs, developed advanced management software, pioneered affordable subscription charging plans, streamlined project installation processes, and reduced financial downsides while maximizing upsides for site owners, just to name a few.

These momentous strides have, incidentally, given us the opportunity to assess America’s transportation sector in real detail, allowing us greater insight into why the EVCS vision is so crucial. As such, here are six of the biggest reasons why we feel America needs us:

1. An Increased Carbon Footprint

According to the EPA, global carbon output resulting from fossil fuel combustion contributed to 78% of total greenhouse gas emissions between 1970 and 2011, leading to damaging effects on the planet’s climate. Not only is America responsible for 15% of this output, which it can curb directly, but it also serves as a thought leader in green technology that can motivate the other 85% to make changes. And EVCS is one of the key drivers of this thought leadership in the EV space.

2. Consumers Want Sustainable Products

Barron’s recently reported on a study by IBM and the National Retail Foundation, which found almost 70% of US and Canadian consumers believe sustainability is important when choosing a brand. Moreover, the same percentage said they would pay a premium for such brands. It’s clear from this that there’s an accelerating trend toward eco-friendly lifestyles; as such, EVCS will continue its campaign of promoting responsible mobility so that more consumers consider EV adoption.

3. The Need for Convenience and Control

A white paper on ecommerce published by First Data sought to address the question, “What Do Consumers Really Want?” The answer? “Mobile commerce appears to support consumers’ thirst for universal convenience… Control [of this commerce] comes from access to information for decision-making, and consumers now rely on real-time data wherever they are.” This is why EVCS developed state-of-the-art software that gives both site hosts and drivers more dominion over charging management while also simplifying their user experience.

4. Customer Service is Lacking

Sadly, customer service ain’t what it used to be. Per Forbes, the NewVoiceMedia 2018 “Serial Switchers” report revealed that lousy customer service cost businesses over $75 billion in lost revenue that year, an increase of $13 billion from 2016. Especially in an emerging market like electrified transit where new technologies will invariably generate questions, EVCS has made customer service a cornerstone of its operation. Our goal is to set the industry standard for positive customer experience.

5. Road Travel Increases in Post-COVID World

Americans love to travel, but COVID has significantly impacted their ability to fly to far-off lands. As a result, “huge numbers of Americans are heading out to drivable destinations,” says a recent article in Travel + Leisure. Our belief in maximizing travel experiences while minimizing our collective carbon footprint was evident in our purchase of the WCEH, but the pandemic gave us a real opportunity to boost the appeal of eco-friendly travel as we began upgrading charging infrastructure at top vacation spots across the Pacific Northwest. We next plan to continue this trend in other parts of the US.

6. Americans Are Hurting

A Pew Research survey from last September found that a quarter of American adults have had trouble paying their bills since the start of the pandemic and about one-third have had reduced hours or taken pay cuts. We believe that our mission of creating greater access to charging infrastructure will increase EV adoption, resulting in a reduction of transportation-related costs like vehicle pricing and fueling fees when Americans need it most since, according to a recent Ascent study, such costs account for 16% of average US household expenses (second only to housing).

Here are links to the reports and studies mentioned in this blog:

https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/global-greenhouse-gas-emissions-data

https://www.barrons.com/articles/two-thirds-of-north-americans-prefer-eco-friendly-brands-study-finds-51578661728

https://www.firstdata.com/downloads/thought-leadership/Consumer-Payment-Insights-Consumers-Going-Mobile-WP.pdf

https://www.forbes.com/sites/shephyken/2018/05/17/businesses-lose-75-billion-due-to-poor-customer-service/?sh=35b2df7b16f9

https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/road-trips/american-road-trip-during-coronavirus

https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2020/09/24/economic-fallout-from-covid-19-continues-to-hit-lower-income-americans-the-hardest/

https://www.fool.com/the-ascent/research/average-monthly-expenses/

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“Who’s Saving the Planet?” Podcast Interviews Gustavo Occhiuzzo

EVCS co-founder and CEO Gustavo Occhiuzzo recently spoke on the “Who’s Saving the Planet?” podcast about the electric mobility revolution and what we as a company are doing to help realize a truly carbon-neutral future. During the conversation with hosts Anthony Noto and Jessica Miles, Occhiuzzo made several critical points that help listeners understand where we are now in that mission, the obstacles we face, what EVCS has done to overcome those obstacles, and what we can do better as a global community. Here are some of the most prescient points:

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.