Installation of the Month (March 2021): The Elysian

EVCS continues to put charging stations in the ground at a record-setting pace, further proving that the notion of responsible mobility is gaining momentum with SoCal motorists. We’re incredibly proud of the work we’ve been able to do over the past couple years, which has simultaneously benefitted countless individuals (with cheaper modes of transport), businesses (with new revenue models), and the environment (with cleaner air quality). Moreover, many of our newer sites are residential buildings, making EV ownership more of a practical reality for tens of thousands of Californians who have otherwise been apprehensive about cutting the cord with ICE vehicles.

As such, our featured site for March is The Elysian apartment building, a mid-century architectural marvel located in LA’s scenic Victoria Heights neighborhood at 1115 W. Sunset Blvd. See it here:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/The+Elysian/@34.067081,-118.249001,15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x3bc0c1003adbe337!8m2!3d34.067081!4d-118.249001

The steel, glass and concrete edifice was originally designed in the early 1960’s by globally renowned architect William Pereira (also famous for the TransAmerica Building in San Francisco), and was deemed an “essential structure” at the time by LA city planners. By 1973, the eight-story tower was completed, and for another 20 years faithfully served as the Metropolitan Water District Headquarters. In 2011, the property was purchased by Linear City Development and converted into the 96 luxuriously appointed residential units we see today. What makes The Elysian extra special is not just its historic pedigree, but its sweeping views thanks to a prime perch overlooking Sunset Boulevard and its close proximity to key points of interest like Chinatown, Echo Park and the 101/110 interchange. See more about the property here:

http://theelysian.la/

We’ve long recognized that one of the greatest barriers to wider EV expansion in the marketplace is the lack of available charging options at residential complexes. This is especially poignant considering a 2019 survey by The Drive that found more than half of all EV drivers prefer to charge up at home. So, when Linear City entrusted us to source and install chargers at this iconic property, we were both thrilled and humbled at the chance to broaden our footprint in an area that has already been vocal in demanding environmentally friendly lifestyle solutions. Our final installation included 46 Blink Level II stations, which are available to both residents and the public. We then increased the project’s financial viability by covering all of Blink’s networking fees, leaving the site host with only the comparatively minor cost of the electricity. We also installed three BTC DC fast charging stations specifically for public consumption.

Linear City Operations VP Alexandra Leekley is on record stating that she and her team are eager to offer free EV charging as a standard amenity for all residents, just like use of the fitness center, yoga deck or common area Wi-Fi. This is a powerful gauntlet being thrown at the feet of residential real estate developers across the Southland. Moreover, as we launch our own subscription plan for EV drivers, we see the public component as equally important, luring Uber, Lyft, delivery and rental car drivers who need a place to charge that’s convenient to downtown. The subscription service will be easy to use and offers tremendous value, likely reducing the average motorist’s fuel bill by as much as 90% — from about $500 per month to $50.

We want to thank The Elysian for being a trailblazer in the fight for a cleaner, greener, more sustainable future by helping to make EV ownership a practical reality for all its residents, and we sincerely hope that this property can exemplify the fact that living (and driving) responsibly starts at home.

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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.

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: