Electrifying West Coast Travel

0When we bought the Oregon and Washington State legs of the West Coast Electric Highway (WCEH) earlier this summer, our goal was to promote the idea of responsible mobility by providing a carbon-neutral infrastructure that allowed EV drivers greater freedom of range in their travels. We hoped this would be welcomed news during a time when so many other distractions were dominating the news cycle. But as the pandemic persisted and the effects of the lockdown continued to ravage local economies, we realized that our contiguous network of DC fast chargers might serve another equally noble if somewhat unintended purpose: to facilitate much-needed tourism activity at some of the Pacific Northwest’s most picturesque points of interest.

Environmentally friendly forms of transportation allow those with a travel bug to enjoy some of nature’s most visually arresting treasures with a minimal carbon footprint while also providing tax dollars to the local economies who use such monies to maintain these lands. Many would-be travelers aren’t even aware that such treasures exist, but the convenient placement of many EVCS stations near natural wonders, landmarks and historic sites makes discovering them far easier than in the past. In fact, many of our chargers themselves are destination points, allowing travelers time to hike, bike and kayak, eat and drink, take photos and explore – all while their EVs power up. Locations include state parks, visitor centers, casinos and restaurants.

We think, perhaps, there’s real value in the WCEH’s ability to pull in EV drivers from far-reaching cities and states, allowing greater numbers of eco-conscious citizens – those most likely to enjoy such serene natural beauty – to feel comfortable knowing their mode of transport isn’t having an adverse effect on local wildlife or air quality. According to Annette Pitts, director of Washington State tourism non-profit The Cascade Loop, in a 2018 Yes! Magazine interview, one could gauge the success of the WCEH by the number of EVs driving around with out-of-state plates. “It used to just be Washington state, people probably within Seattle,” she was quoted as saying. “Now I see people driving down from Canada, people from California, people from Texas, and the Midwest even.”

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So, which destinations are the top-ranked choices to see? Well, we definitely have our favorites, so if you have a limited amount of time to explore, we’d like to recommend you at least hit the following:

Thor’s Well is a stunning 20-foot sinkhole that likely started as a sea cave and sits just four miles from our Yachats, Oregon charging station.

Charge up in Redmond before making the trek out to the Painted Hills in Wheeler County, which have been labeled one of the “Seven Wonders of Oregon.” Stop off in the ghost town of Shaniko on your way there.

Crater Lake, famous for its vivid blue hue and snow-fed purity, is the deepest lake in the United States at 1,943 feet. It’s also within range of five EVCS charge points.

Cannon Beach, just a half mile from our charging station, was named one of the world’s 100 most beautiful places by Nat Geo in 2013 and has served as a backdrop in several famous movies, including The Goonies and Twilight.

Travel three miles from our Burlington chargers to see the vibrant tulip fields of Washington’s Skagit Valley.

Snoqualmie Falls is a 270-foot-high marvel by a two-acre park complete with gift shop, observation deck and in close proximity to our Snoqualmie Pass charging station.

Read more about the West Coast Electric Highway here: https://evcs.com/wceh

And here: http://www.westcoastgreenhighway.com/electrichighway.htm

See a map of all Washington and Oregon charging sites here: https://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/Programs/Electric%20Vehicle%20library/Electric%20Hwy%20Map-REV_4-15.pdf

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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.