California Center for Sustainable Energy

Project invites businesses to help build infrastructure

Although the widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) as a principal means of daily transportation and commuting is still in the future, consumer demand for EVs is increasing in San Diego and a call is going out to local businesses to become host sites for EV charging stations.

As part of the nationwide EV Project managed by ECOtality, Inc., more than 1,000 public EV charging stations are slated for the San Diego region by 2012. Local businesses are being urged to consider hosting charging stations by a consortium consisting of ECOtality, the City of San Diego, the California Center for Sustainable Energy ( CCSE), San Diego Gas & Electric and the San Diego Regional Clean Fuels Coalition.

The benefits of hosting an EV charging station include garnering new customers and gaining revenues generated by the chargers.

"Initial market research shows that electric vehicles are drawing a top-tier demographic nationwide," said Mike Ferry, CCSE's transportation manager and Clean Fuels Coalition coordinator. "In addition to attracting new customers and providing a cutting-edge service, EV charging stations provide additional benefits to forward-thinking business owners."

Ferry said that EV charging stations count for points toward LEED certification and other green certifications and provide a representation of a business owner’s commitment to clean transportation and sustainability.

The EV Project offers free advanced Blink® charging stations with free maintenance and 24/7 customer support. Costs for installation vary widely depending on the site, with the EV Project covering the first $2,250 and the host paying any remaining amount. EV owners who use the stations will pay a fee for the charging power, with the EV Project and the host splitting revenues from the charger 50/50.

After installation, a charging site host’s EV chargers will show up on the satellite navigation systems in EV drivers' cars and on their smart phones pointing them to where they can charge up. Data on usage will be collected from the EV chargers and shared with the charging site host as part of the EV Project.

For more information about the EV charger station project, contact Andy Hoskinson, San Diego area manager for ECOtality North America, at (619) 559-2118 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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