EV owners offered free charging in Oregon and Washington while upgrades are made to the West Coast Electric Highway

ARCADIA, Calif (September 28, 2021) – EVCS, one of the largest electric vehicle (EV) fast-charging network owner operators on the West Coast, today announced that starting in October 2021, EV owners can enjoy free charging at West Coast Electric Highway (WCEH) charging stations in Oregon and Washington until upgrades on the network are completed in late 2021/early 2022. This news comes on the heels of their recent announcement that EVCS was approved and funded by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to upgrade 44 charging sites, add three new stations, and turn 11 into “superstations” in the Oregon portion of the WCEH.

The WCEH is an extensive network of 56 EVCS-owned DCFC and Level 2 charging stations located along the I-5, US-101, and other major West Coast corridors. As part of their customer appreciation effort, EV drivers will simply just need to arrive at the chargers and push a green button to start charging the vehicle. Drivers with a pre-existing WCEH EVCS subscription will receive refunds for the year if they have already paid.

“A huge part of EVCS’ mission is to provide accessible charging infrastructure to EV drivers and owners,” said Gustavo Occhiuzzo, CEO of EVCS. “Our collaboration with ODOT to upgrade the West Coast Electric Highway will help increase driver confidence in going electric as we seek to combat climate change through our sustainable charging stations.”

As each site’s upgrade to the new, renewable EVCS network is completed, the free charging offer will end and EV drivers will be able to sign up for an EVCS subscription plan that includes a monthly, unlimited EV charging plan and a pay-as-you-go option. Various payment methods will be available including the EVCS app, PlugShare app, QR codes, and credit card readers. Drivers can check the PlugShare app for the most up-to-date status of each charging site and see whether or not it is offering free charging or has been upgraded to the EVCS network.

“EVCS’ offer of free charging along the West Coast Electric Highway is a really nice gesture to the nearly 37,000 EV drivers in Oregon,” said Travis Brouwer, ODOT assistant director for Revenue, Finance and Compliance. “We’re excited about our public-private partnership, and the upgrades will help us reach our goals of increasing EV ownership and reducing emissions from transportation in Oregon.”

As previously announced, the upgrade to the WCEH will come with some major changes. It will replace existing CHAdeMO-only DC fast chargers with new DC fast Chargers that have both CCS-combo and CHAdeMO DCFC charging capability allowing all Oregon EV drivers to use the WCEH stations. 11 of the locations will be further upgraded to feature 3 DC Fast Chargers and 1 Level 2 AC charger. For Tesla drivers, the CHAdeMO connector, with a Tesla adapter, will be available for use at all EVCS stations. A 120v outlet will also be available at every WCEH station for e-bikes and scooters. Finally, EVCS will add three new stations.

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For more information about EVCS, visit: https://evcs.com/.                              

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About EVCS

EVCS was founded in 2018 by Green Commuter founder Gustavo Occhiuzzo and finance expert Ian Vishnevsky to provide and operate public- and private-based EV charging infrastructure. EVCS disrupted the mobility power industry by employing a complete turnkey approach that utilizes both public and private grants, rebates, and other financial incentives to encourage governments and businesses to install fast charging stations. EVCS has secured over $50M in government funding and engaged over 500 partner sites. EVCS’s mission is to cut emissions while simultaneously improving air quality by enabling adoption of EVs. EVCS is also the owner and operator of the Oregon and Washington State portion of the original WCEH network of EV charging stations. Visit EVCS for more information.

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About West Coast Electric Highway

The West Coast Electric Highway is an extensive network of electric vehicle DC fast charging stations located every 25 to 50 miles along Interstate 5, Hwy 101, and other major roadways in British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California. The initiative is a collection of projects, funding sources, and partners with the same vision: to provide a network of fast charging stations enabling electric vehicle drivers to make longer trips and travel between cities. Learn more online: www.westcoastgreenhighway.com/electrichighway.htm

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Media Contact:  Maddie Cuttler | PR DEPT | evcs@pr-dept.com

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