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.

With that, we’re proud to announce our featured site for February 2022: a brand-new, redesigned charger complete with iKahan digital billboards at the Sierra Commons Shopping Center in the city of Palmdale north of Los Angeles. The address is 39605 10th Street West, which can be found here at this link.

The lot is conveniently located just off the Antelope Valley Freeway, a major north-south corridor through Palmdale, in one of the city’s most popular shopping districts. Within walking distance, drivers will find the Palmdale Marketplace and Antelope Valley shopping malls; an Embassy Suites hotel; retail stores like Target, Best Buy and Bed Bath & Beyond; and countless eateries like Coffee Bean, Chili’s, Olive Garden, Red Lobster and Applebee’s. The area is a paradise for shoppers, which somehow feels appropriate as our first installation to feature targeted advertising content on a big, bold screen.

The charger eschews our old boxy design for a thinner, sleeker new look to accommodate the large auto-facing LCD monitor. The bright 55-inch display is engineered for outdoor usage and boasts a crisp 1920 x 1080 resolution, delivering high-def content that can be targeted hyper-locally to any segment of the market.

Our long-term goals here are three-fold. First, we’re facilitating the transition to this newly designed charger across more of our network. We’re already working to revitalize the EVCS owned original West Coast Electric Highway while simultaneously ramping up the installation of new chargers in highly trafficked areas where such advertising will have the greatest impact. Second, we’re expanding the number of reputable brands that are featuring content on our screens, with mega-brands like LA Fitness leading the charge. Third, we’re using this exciting new revenue stream as a selling point for site owners who may still be skeptical about installing chargers on their properties. For many, this offers the final nudge they need to say yes. Like we always say, “earn green by going green!”

To be certain, we’re not the only ones trumpeting the benefits of merging charging infrastructure with digital advertising. In an article titled “11 Reasons Why EV Charging and Digital Advertising is SMART Business for Shopping Centers and Parking Operators,” online publisher Ensto cited 800 studies by Nielsen that showed every dollar spent on digital advertising achieved a return on investment of three dollars. Moreover, the digital ad market was valued at 19.6 billion dollars in 2016, but based on current market trends, is projected to reach 32.8 billion by 2023. Coupled with what is certain to be explosive growth of EV charging this decade, we believe the untapped opportunities are myriad, and we plan on not only being there as things evolve, but leading the way. Our site at Sierra Commons is just the first small step of many.

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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.

“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: