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. (See the complete article here: https://www.govtech.com/transportation/biden-plans-to-build-500-ev-charging-stations#:~:text=President%20Joe%20Biden%20has%20proposed,charging%20stations%20nationwide%20by%202030)

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.

Below are specific obstacles mentioned in the article that many believe are hampering widespread EV adoption along with ways that we have been working to overcome them.

“Experts say significantly expanding the charging network would require coordination across the auto industry, retail businesses, utility companies and all levels of government.”

Our turnkey solutions are predicated upon a systematic unification of private business owners who host the chargers, utilities that provide the power (including grid balancing and demand response), and local governments that simultaneously act as site hosts, permitting agencies and funding sources. As for auto manufacturers, we’re committed to making chargers that work with any EV on the road that doesn’t utilize proprietary technology.

“Consumers fear that they won’t be able to take a road trip or visit out-of-town relatives in an electric vehicle — which remains one of the biggest barriers to EV adoption.”

We have become the fastest-growing installer of EV infrastructure on the West Coast and are responsible for over half of all new chargers in Los Angeles between 2020 and 2021. Our revitalization of the West Coast Electric Highway has expanded access throughout Oregon and Washington. And we have plans to grow our network to more underserved communities, not just on the West Coast, but across the country. Our ambitious expansion of the EVCS network is actively extinguishing range anxiety through highly increased accessibility.

Photo Courtesy of Norsk Elbilforening (Norwegian Electric Vehicle Association)

“In order for EVs to be more pervasive, it’s going to have to be gas station-like, where you can find an EV charging station with significant capacity almost anywhere.”

In large part, our focus has been on installing charging stations at key junctures like near freeway ramps and at local points of interest such as restaurants, grocery stores, shopping malls, transit centers and city parks. Moreover, we’ve concentrated on key tourist-style destinations that will help facilitate long-distance EV travel, including hotels, casinos, visitor centers and convention centers.

“Level 2 chargers (which typically charge slowly over hours while the owner is at work or at home) cost about $4,000 to install and DC fast chargers… cost between $50,000 and $110,000 to install. Once installed, maintaining the chargers also costs thousands of dollars.”

We research, identify and access myriad federal and state funding opportunities, ensuring that most of our clients pay nothing for their installations. The majority of our network is DCFC, meaning drivers can charge their EVs up to 80% in under an hour – perfect for a quick trip to the grocery store, gym or coffeehouse. In addition, our solutions include no-cost maintenance for five years. So, not only do site hosts save tens of thousands of dollars in costs, but they add a significant new revenue stream with the possibility to attract a whole new customer base.

“Some argue electric vehicles aren’t totally zero-emissions because fossil fuels are still the largest electricity source in the country.”

We have already taken steps to ensure EVCS chargers are powered 100% by clean, abundant, renewable energy. Not only will our customers have access to one of the largest DC fast charging networks in the nation, but they will also have peace of mind knowing that they are truly having a positive impact on the environment by reducing fossil fuel usage.

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6 Reasons Why Fast Charging is Critical

EVCS Level 3 chargers are capable of charging an EV battery to 80% capacity within 20 minutes on most vehicles. They are sleek, efficient, convenient, work with any EV, can function in myriad conditions, and are connected by a powerful network with an easy-to-use interface. By all measures, Level 3 charging – or fast charging – is not only an important link in the electric mobility chain as society transitions away from fossil fuels but a critical one to the goal of mass EV adoption.

Catering to Niche Markets

EV drivers are as unique as the cars they own. All have special reasons why electric mobility is the sensible choice for them. In that vein, we recognize that building a massive new EV network is not a one-size-fits all strategy, but one that takes into account the needs of niche groups across the country. Below is just a smattering of the smaller market subsets we have in mind as we aim to make the transition to electric feel more personal and individualistic based on things like interests, jobs, and locale.

How the Ukrainian Crisis Could Affect the EV Market

As the conflict in Ukraine continues to escalate, concerns over how a prolonged incursion may affect global markets has become a frequent topic of discussion, even as major world powers issue a raft of sanctions against Russia in an effort to end the conflict sooner. There are certain to be ramifications for the EV industry specifically as a consequence of the dispute, some of which we’re already starting to see, although their duration and severity are still in question. Here are some of the most prominent.

How EVCS is Helping Change America’s EV Charging Experience

As most of us know, Congress recently approved $7.5 billion in spending for new EV charging installations as part of the larger infrastructure bill, which we expect will help facilitate a speedier transition away from fossil fuels. Even with EV sales increasing in recent years, reports suggest that 25 percent of all carbon emissions still come from the tailpipe, so anything the government can do to kick things up a notch is surely welcome. However, even with such a sizable investment, many challenges still exist that network operators like EVCS will have to help overcome. In a recent article on TheVerge.com, several prescient examples were cited of core areas to focus on if we want to make mass EV adoption a reality. Below are a few such areas and how EVCS is addressing them.

Installation of the Month (February 2022): Sierra Commons Shopping Plaza

The next stage in the evolution of EV charging will be a network operator’s ability to target consumers with advertising and media content pertinent to their demographic. Our recent partnership with minority-owned iKahan Media has afforded us just that opportunity, allowing for the expansion and creation of “a digital billboard network combining EVCS chargers with state-of-the-art LED screens,” as reported last year in a release on PR Newswire. (You can read that entire piece here) Such an initiative is intended to improve the economics of public charging by generating an additional revenue stream for both us and site hosts, providing advertisers with a select new platform for reaching consumers, and increasing value for EV drivers who want to see content that’s relevant to them.