Installation of the Month (February 2023): City of Los Angeles Lot 715

As our network continues to expand, we’ve consistently maintained three key focuses: 1) Accessibility; 2) Affordability; and 3) Sustainability. These attributes are the cornerstone of everything we do, and our newest installation near the heavily trafficked intersection of West Pico Boulevard and Overland Avenue in Rancho Park helps us accomplish all of them.

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Accessibility to us means taking an egalitarian approach to infrastructure installation, and this new location nestled amidst the confluence of West Los Angeles, Palms/Culver City and Beverly Hills means residents of varying social and economic strata will have access to the same reliable power source. Affordability means being cost-conscious to those of us with the meagerest of means, so this new location brings a wallet-friendly subscription network to an area that is still surprisingly light on public infrastructure. And sustainability means continuing to minimize our carbon footprint by using renewable energy sources, which every new installation of ours employs, but especially this location, with hardware that our manufacturing partner Tritium calls “the world’s smallest footprint DC charger.”

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This newest addition to the EVCS family of charging stations is Los Angeles City Lot 715, located at 2371 Overland Avenue, which can be seen here:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/2371+Overland+Ave,+Los+Angeles,+CA+90064/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x80c2bbbd77522a49:0x7d09493264ddabf4?sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiu0pSRufD8AhVxPH0KHbYxD5kQ8gF6BAgLEAI

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The fact that LADOT continues to call upon us to install chargers on their properties shows their commitment to electric mobility. The 27-space, open-air lot has no height restrictions or pesky gates to contend with, easy ingress and egress, and wide double-lined spaces. And speaking of affordability, the cost to park is just 25 cents per 20 minutes up to a maximum of $3.00 between 7am and 9pm, Monday through Sunday, and free outside of these hours. Not a bad rate considering the popular area and recent effects of inflation. See more information about the lot here:

http://parkinginla.lacity.org/

And here:

https://en.parkopedia.com/parking/lot/overland_and_pico_lot_715/90064/los_angeles/

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Specifically, we installed four Tritium RT50 DCFC’s with 50kW power, up to 500V supply output, reinforced isolating transformers and continuous 125-amp charging via CCS1/CCS2 and CHAdeMO connectors. The ultra-lightweight chargers clock in at just 369 pounds each and can function with at least 94% efficiency in temperatures as high as 122 degrees Fahrenheit thanks to a patented liquid-cooling technology. Moreover, the intuitive human-machine interface (HMI) features hyper-clear displays for easy operation and multiple payment options including RFID for contactless credit card transactions. No wonder the brand has won multiple prestigious international awards for innovation at ceremonies like the EVIEs and Australian Good Design Awards.

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The Rancho Park area where City Lot 715 sits is flanked by multiple businesses, including several banks (Chase, Citibank, Wells Fargo and Bank of America all have locations within walking distance), fabric stores, barbershops and hair salons, nail salons, a veterinarian and a dry cleaners. In addition, a list of area restaurants reads like a who’s who of worldwide cuisines, including Louise’s Trattoria (Italian), Nizam (Indian), Gyu-Kaku (Japanese BBQ), Bossa Nova (Brazilian) and The Apple Pan (good old-fashioned American). What’s more, it’s just over a mile from the illustrious Westfield Century City Mall, arguably one of the most beautiful shopping malls in the state, if not the country.

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Accessibility. Affordability. Sustainability. EVCS continues to advance these three pillars of electric mobility with every new installation, further epitomized by this great new location. As EVs become more ubiquitous, sites like these will prove crucial to the daily lives of everyday Americans. And as our network expands, we expect LADOT to continue as a trusted partner and ally while simultaneously serving as a model for other cities to emulate.

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Spectrum News: SoCal Company Looks to Meet Growing Need for EV Charging Stations

Recently, our CEO and co-founder, Gustavo Occhiuzzo, was featured in a Spectrum News 1 segment titled “Inside the Issues” with Alex Cohen. He was able to not only convey the challenges we face as we work toward a more electric future, but also the strides EVCS has already made in addressing those challenges as well as some of our most significant achievements. Examples include our deal with LADOT to install DC fast chargers at 57 city-owned lots, our doubling of non-Tesla chargers in LA since last year alone, and the fact that EVCS has become one of the largest and fastest growing installers of EV charging stations on the West Coast in less than three years. See the interview clip and accompanying article below to learn more.

Recap of “Today, Explained” Podcast: It’s Electric!

Recently, we listened to Vox’s Umair Irfan discuss on his Today, Explained podcast how Norway has been trailblazing in the world of electric mobility and what strides the US can make to follow suit. We not only found the episode a fascinating exploration of how our Scandinavian friends serve as both innovators and motivators, but it elucidated ways in which EVCS can and has been working toward similar goals within the US. Below are some of the key takeaways from the podcast as well as how it relates to what we’re doing here and now.

EVCS Fast Charging Network to Use 100% Renewable Energy (Newsire)

One of the most common criticisms foisted on the electric mobility industry is that EVs are not technically carbon neutral since the electricity needed to power them is generated through fossil fuels, including coal and natural gas. This argument is not without merit and presents those of us in the EV infrastructure sector with yet another lofty goal – true carbon neutrality through electrical grids powered by renewable energy sources like wind and solar. And our most recent press release discusses how we at EVCS are doing just that.

EVCS Secures Credit Facility with Macquarie Group (Newswire)

We recently employed PR firm Firecracker to help us get the word out about all of the wonderful things EVCS is doing to make an all-electric future a reality. One major step toward this goal was our securing a credit facility that would allow for accelerated expansion of EV infrastructure, giving us confidence that the financial support required would be available when we needed it. Our PR team then went to work, drafting the following press release that outlines the particulars of this momentous achievement:

Installation of the Month (April 2021): Hilton Hotel & Plaza San Gabriel

Hilton is one of the most recognizable and respected organizations in the world. They own 18 different brands and more than 6,400 properties in 119 countries. Since 1925, they’ve been a model of the hospitality industry – synonymous with customer relations, integrity and innovation, which extends into areas like sustainability and the environment. Their website’s “Corporate Responsibility” page cites a commitment to fighting climate change, stating: “We seek to operate and grow sustainably, reducing our consumption of natural resources… We are proud to have set carbon reduction targets aligned with the Paris Climate Agreement.” And they continue to back up this commitment, including recently asking us to install EV charging banks at one of their key Los Angeles locations.