Installation of the Month (February 2021): Hollywood & Highland

In the movie Spider-man, Uncle Ben tells Peter Parker, “With great power comes great responsibility.” The phrase, which came to be known as the “Peter Parker Principle,” is just as true today as it was 20 years ago when the movie first premiered. And just as Peter took seriously his newfound powers, we take seriously our responsibility to facilitate broader access to vehicle electrification options – quite literally the “great power” here is the electricity that keeps EVs moving. We also understand the power of movies and television to convey the importance of electric mobility, be it through information, entertainment or influence marketing. As such, Hollywood has become a tremendous partner in advancing the EVCS mission.

Photo Courtesy of The Conmunity – Pop Culture Geek

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That is why, this month, we’re featuring the world-famous Hollywood & Highland complex, located at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard in the heart of Hollywood, California. See it here:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Hollywood+%26+Highland/@34.1023194,-118.3399992,15z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0xe9c39639f7356912?sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiHwICB0NHuAhUDZN8KHe5GBQcQ_BIwH3oECEUQBQ

The 387,000-square-foot property opened in November of 2001, quickly cementing its reputation as a shopping, dining and entertainment mecca for tourists the world over. Resting on the bones of the old historic Hollywood Hotel, the complex boasts more than 60 stores and restaurants plus the palatial Dolby Theatre, home of the annual Oscar telecast. First-time visitors often find themselves marveling at the magnificent four-story courtyard in the center, inspired by the Babylon Court set from the classic D.W. Griffith film Intolerance, and relishing in its close proximity to other nearby attractions like the Walk of Fame, Madame Tussauds and the Mann’s (now TCL) Chinese Theater. See more about the property here:

https://hollywoodandhighland.com/

According to commercial real estate firm JLL, Hollywood & Highland attracts 25 million visitors per year (about 5,000 every hour) and features 3,000 parking spaces (the most in the city). When the property’s management hired us to install three new 50 kWh DC fast chargers in their cavernous underground parking structure, of course we jumped at the chance. With so many visitors, the demand for an EV charging solution was growing and management took notice. The benefits included catering to a community already steeped in perpetuating environmentally friendly transportation solutions while also attracting new visitors with EVs who may have otherwise taken their retail or dining business elsewhere.

Moreover, case studies have shown that the average EV driver’s overall dwell time at commercial properties with charging stations is typically longer than that of the average customer since EV drivers shop at a more leisurely pace while waiting for their batteries to recharge. For instance, one large-scale discount retailer reported an EV driver’s average visit lasted 50 minutes longer than the overall average – an increase of 327%. And since customers spent an average of $1 per minute during their dwell time, the revenue increase of $56,000 over a nine-month period was more than sufficient to eclipse the scant $430 in extra charges the company spent on its electric bill. We expect, as time goes on, that Hollywood & Highland will note similar economic benefits and can serve as a torchbearer for comparable commercial properties considering EV infrastructure.

All that said, we’d like to give thanks to our highly valued customer, Hollywood & Highland, for trusting in us to install their charging stations and for helping advance the idea that an electric-powered future is not just fodder for the movies, but an achievable reality!

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Top 10 Reasons Why Mass EV Adoption is Inevitable

According to evadoption.com, EV sales are expected to grow from 3.4% of all new auto sales in 2021 to 29.5% in 2030. In fact, they cite several models that forecast explosive growth in EV ownership across the US over the next decade. See the full sales forecasts here complete with bar charts and supporting data: https://evadoption.com/ev-sales/ev-sales-forecasts/. While skeptics might pooh-pooh these projections as overly optimistic, we believe they may actually fall short of the eventual reality. Of course, only time will tell, but below are our top 10 reasons why we believe EVs will be as commonplace as microwaves come 2030.

Installation of the Month (July 2021): LADOT Lot 657

One of our main goals has been to install charging infrastructure in underserved communities, especially urban population centers that are key to our mission of wider EV adoption. Los Angeles is rife with such neighborhoods, where low-income families who wish to participate in the greening of society cry out for cost-effective ways to be part of the solution. Lincoln Heights, one of the oldest sections of the city, is a prime example. The densely populated area boasts numerous Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander groups who have expressed interest in electric mobility, but historically lacked access to the requisite charging stations. Moreover, with a median age of just 24, Lincoln Heights is brimming with younger generation Angelenos who have already embraced the idea of sustainability, but simply need the opportunity to take action.

West Coast Electric Highway to Receive Extensive Upgrade from EVCS

ARCADIA, Calif. (August XX, 2021) – EV Charging Solutions (EVCS), one of the largest electric vehicle (EV) fast charging network operators on the West Coast, today announced that they are approved and funded by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to upgrade 44 and add three new electric vehicle charging stations on the Oregon portion of the original West Coast Electric Highway (WCEH). Eleven of the 47 stations will be called “superstations” and will include three DC fast chargers and one Level 2 AC charger. In all, more than 100 charging ports will be upgraded or added.

Is Policy Action Alone Enough to Reach Net Zero by 2050?

Recently, BloombergNEF published a telling article titled, “Electric Vehicle Sales Set to Rise Faster Than Ever, but More Policy Action Needed to Get on Track for Net Zero.” The author raises many interesting observations about where we are now in the transition to electric mobility; where we’re projected to be in 10, 20 and even 30 years based on current trajectories; and what we need to do if we’re going to be net zero by 2050.

Auto Trends Magazine: Occhiuzzo Debunks 4 Misconceptions Surrounding EV Fast Charging Stations

Our co-founder and CEO, Gustavo Occhiuzzo, is quickly emerging as a thought leader in the world of electric mobility, becoming someone stakeholders can count on to demystify obscurities and address falsehoods surrounding the installation and application of charging infrastructure. Like any new technology, resistance to adoption is often based on fallacious notions, some of which may be perpetrated by those with a financial interest in competing technologies. Therefore, countering such notions with facts is crucial if both drivers and site hosts are to make an informed decision about EV adoption. Occhiuzzo most recently addressed four of the biggest misconceptions surrounding chargers in the article below for Auto Trends Magazine.