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.

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https://spectrumnews1.com/ca/la-west/news/2021/05/10/socal-company-looks-to-meet-growing-need-for-ev-charging-stations?cid=id-app15_m-share_s-web_cmp-app_launch_august2020_c-producer_posts_po-organic#

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Los Angeles, CA – May 10, 2021 (Spectrum News 1)

At a city parking lot on Los Angeles’ Westside, Gustavo Occhiuzzo helped make its fast chargers a reality.

A native of Argentina, Occhiuzzo founded Green Commuter, an environmentally friendly car sharing business in 2014, but he soon realized there was a big problem: not enough charging stations.

What You Need To Know

EVCS has partnered with LADOT to install fast charging stations at 57 city-owned parking lots
Installations can run upwards of $400,000, which is why Gustavo Occhiuzzo says incentive programs are crucial
Part of President Biden’s infrastructure plan would establish grant and incentive programs to build a national network of 500,000 EV chargers by 2030
EVCS says it has more than doubled the number of non-Tesla charging stations in the city within the last year

“In order to support out fleet of electric vehicles, we decided to also start working on the infrastructure, Occhiuzzo said.

That led Occhiuzzo to co-found the sister company EVCS, now one of the largest and fastest growing operators of EV charging stations on the West Coast.

“We also do installations at hotels, restaurants, shopping centers, office buildings, multi-family buildings, so really anywhere you park a car,” he said.

In 2019, EVCS partnered with LADOT to install fast charging stations at 57 city-owned parking lots. So far, 16 have been built.

“[The city] pretty much allows EVCS to own and operate the charging stations, and we secure the funding again from both public and private sources to do the installations,” Occhiuzzo said.

While they’ve come down in cost, installing them is still pricey.

“On average an installation like this will run about $400,000,” Occhiuzzo added.

It also takes about a year to complete, including design, permitting and construction, and is why he welcomes President Joe Biden’s proposed infrastructure plan, which sets aside billions of dollars to create a national network of a half a million EV chargers by 2030.

“We do need the support of the government and the public entities to kind of fund these construction through different programs, such as rebates or grants or subsidies,” Occhiuzzo said.

That public funding in California has helped Occhiuzzo more than double the number of non-Tesla charging stations in the LA area in the past year, crucial to ensuring electric vehicles have the power they need.

“You already don’t want to spend 30 minutes charging your car, let alone waiting 30 minutes for somebody else to charge before you can charge,” he said.

Occhiuzzo explained how LA is already miles ahead, but as demand grows, these charging stations — which were once an amenity — are now a necessity in Southern California and beyond.

“This feels like internet in 1993 when the future was unknown, but at the same time, the potential was unlimited,” he said.

For Occhiuzzo, building that future is nothing short of electrifying.

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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.