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.

All that said, we’re very proud to announce that, just last month, we commissioned a brand-new site with four DC fast chargers at LA city lot #657 in Lincoln Heights. So proud, in fact, that we decide to make it our featured site for July. The address is 221 Avenue 22, which can be found here:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/221+S+Ave+22,+Los+Angeles,+CA+90031/@34.0730115,-118.2199383,17z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x80c2c67d322474e3:0xd7476cf12771d346!8m2!3d34.0730115!4d-118.2177496

The lot is conveniently situated just off the I-5 freeway near North Broadway, with dozens of cafes, restaurants, ATMs, drug stores and retail shops in walking distance for area residents to patronage while they juice their batteries. Moreover, the neighborhood is peppered with historical landmarks that will attract non-residents, from the Los Angeles Alligator Farm to the San Antonio Winery to the famed Church of the Epiphany – the oldest operating Episcopal church in the city where Cesar Chavez gave speeches. The lot itself is owned, controlled and maintained by the LA Department of Transportation. More about their parking facilities and green initiatives can be found on their website here:

https://ladot.lacity.org/projects/parking-la

At Lot 657, our Slim Line DCFCs have 50kW power ratings, combo CHAdeMO and CCS1 connectors, integrated cord retractors, 15-inch outdoor color monitor displays and a maximum DC current output of 125 amps. The better than 90% efficiency rating will have a standard EV battery powered to 80% in just 60 minutes, while the OCPP network-enabled payment system allows for both credit cards and RFID. In other words, Lincoln Heights community members are getting access to the same high-quality chargers that are found in more affluent areas of LA.

Our goals and actions have aligned closely with state lawmakers and private grant programs that stress the need for more equitable distribution of infrastructure. California State Senate Bill 535 and State Assembly Bill 1550 were enacted to address equity concerns around EV adoption by creating a “Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.” According to ScienceDirect, both bills “mandate that at least 25% of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund has to fund state programs that seek to reduce GHG emissions in disadvantaged communities (i.e., communities exposed to a combination of economic, health, and environmental burdens).” In addition, the California Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Project (CaleVIP) supports a number of EV infrastructure projects, requiring at least a 25% minimum spend in such areas.

With EVCS working alongside state and local government officials, utility companies and private organizations, we are able to maximize our impact in areas that sorely need our help. We can do our part to make sure more citizens of LA can go green without being in the red. Accessibility is only one key component though; visibility is just as critical. As EV adoption takes hold in these communities, more ICE vehicle owners will see the viability of going electric. They will start to shed their reticence and embrace the revolution. Lot 657 is an important step toward this sea change, but just one of many to come.

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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.

Addressing Pain Points in Creating EV Infrastructure

A recent GovTech.com article titled “How Biden Plans to Build 500 EV Charging Stations” discusses the President’s goals for creating a nationwide network of 500,000 such installations by 2030. While it does a smart job laying out many of the pain points we face in facilitating EV adoption, the mention of solutions was far less prevalent, and ones that were mentioned seemed speculative or tenuous. However, over the last three years, EVCS has already taken the lead in addressing many of these challenge areas, allowing us to dominate the installation market across the West Coast.