Installation of the Month (July 2022): Kenwood Inn & Spa

A key focus for us over the last several years has been the installation of additional chargers at holiday hot spots, tourist destinations, and other key points of interest. Not only will it help dispel long-range travel anxiety among many new EV drivers, but it will also lead to a significant reduction in carbon emissions otherwise generated by gas-guzzlers during peak vacation seasons. Moreover, our egalitarian approach to site selection means we’re just as likely to install a charger at a McDonald’s as we are at a Morton’s since we understand the value in catering to a broad clientele. However, higher net worth individuals continue to drive EV sales in the US (a June 2021 Fuels Institute study specifies middle-aged males with household incomes over $100,000), so catering to venues that offer a luxury experience will encourage even greater participation by this group while serving as a bellwether for lower-income drivers who are attracted to the idea of electric mobility as a symbol of status.

In that vein, we’re featuring the beautifully appointed Kenwood Inn & Spa, a luxurious two-and-a-half acre getaway nestled amongst the hills of the Sonoma Valley and home to our first ever 100kW supercharger. The picturesque property is located at 10400 Sonoma Highway in the town of Kenwood and can be seen here.

The Kenwood Inn & Spa, part of the Four Sisters chain of boutique hotels, offers a Mediterranean-inspired ambiance, including 29 cloistered guest villas surrounded by lush green gardens filled with oak and walnut trees, stone fountains, and nearby rolling vineyards that will make you swear you’re in Tuscany. Guests can enjoy a heated pool, hot tub, wine bar with chessboards, on-site concierge, and signature bistro serving local gourmet specialties, all in a highly intimate and inviting setting. The spa offers an array of rejuvenating and customizable massage treatments designed to melt away stress and improve sleep. Continuing with the luxury theme, guests are treated to a glass of sparkling wine upon arrival and complimentary wine, cheese, and cordials each evening. Conde Nast readers rated Kenwood the “Top Resort in Mainland USA” in the magazine’s 21st Annual Readers’ Choice Survey. More about the property can be found here.

The DC fast charger we installed not only has an enviable 100kW total output but also features dual port charging technology that can offer 50kW parallel outputs. It’s slightly girthier than our standard chargers at 34 inches deep (versus 22 inches), 42 inches wide (versus 34 inches), and 1,350 pounds (versus 850). However, network compatibility, connector configuration, and the 15-inch color display panel all remain the same, while the efficiency rating was slightly improved to greater than 92% and max DC current notched up to 200A from 125A. What does this all mean for EV drivers? Ultra-rapid charging speeds – up to 80% in 15 minutes – with the same great reliability and customer service they’ve come to know from EVCS. Exactly what you’d expect from a luxury experience.

After charging up, guests can explore a whole host of attractions within a five-mile radius considering the inn’s highly central location, including Hood Mountain Regional Park, Morton’s Warm Springs, the Sonoma Botanical Garden, and Jack London State Historic Park. And for golf lovers, the Ted Robinson-designed Sugarloaf Course at the Valley of the Moon Club is just a quick jaunt down Sonoma Highway. Of course, what would a trip to Sonoma be without a tasting tour of the best local vino? Fortunately, top wineries like Deerfield Ranch, VJB, and Muscardini Cellars are just a stone’s throw away (although with your fully charged battery, it wouldn’t matter if they weren’t).

While making EVs accessible to everyone is a critical part of our goal, we acknowledge that many higher-income drivers want infrastructure specifically catered to their interests and lifestyle. As such, we’ll continue to partner with great destinations like Kenwood that elevate the EV experience through their luxury offerings. That said, we encourage EV drivers of any level to take a long weekend and pamper themselves whenever they can, what with all the money they’re saving on gas!

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