“With the first installations of Blink home charging stations, we are laying the foundation for a new electric vehicle lifestyle, not only in California but nationwide,” said Jonathan Read, CEO of ECOtality. “Today marks an important step for ECOtality, as we move from planning to implementation, and we thank our initial project partners for their efforts in building the infrastructure network needed to encourage EV adoption. We will continue to rollout our smart Blink EV charging solutions to match the delivery of EVs in project markets.”
At the home of Los Angeles resident, Yolanda Reid, ECOtality CEO Jonathan Read will help unveil one of the first Blink home charger installations.
“My family has always been an advocate for clean vehicles,” said Yolanda Reid, an EV Project participant in Los Angeles who recently received her Nissan LEAF. “We have owned two hybrid vehicles in the past, and are very excited to be making the leap to full electric. Also, having the Blink home charging station makes the switch to an electric vehicle lifestyle very convenient, allowing us to easily monitor energy usage and charge our vehicle from the comfort of our own home.”
“California is already the biggest market for plug-in vehicles in the U.S. and it will continue its leadership. Plug-in electric vehicles help achieve state goals of energy security, air quality, and GHG reduction. ECOtality is a key California company shaping the new market and leading the clean vehicle economy,” said Diane Wittenberg, Executive Director and Chair of the California PEV Collaborative.
After the presentation in Los Angeles, ECOtality will celebrate the installation of one of the first Blink home chargers in the San Diego area.
Following the events in San Diego and Los Angeles, ECOtality will launch installations for The EV Project with Blink chargers at the residences of project participants in three additional markets. Tomorrow, Wednesday, February 23, ECOtality will announce an installation in the Portland region, followed by Seattle on Thursday, February 24, and Arizona on Friday, February 25.
ECOtality recently announced the mass manufacturing of the Company’s Blink Home Charging Stations at Roush Manufacturing. The Blink Home Charging Stations are available now to EV drivers and are free of charge to EV Project participants. The Blink Home Charger is a smart EV charging station that allows for increased cost-savings through improved power management, an intuitive set of features, including a 7-inch color touchscreen control panel, and a stylish, easily configurable design. The units can be installed indoors or outside at commercial locations, and both hardwire and plug-in charging stations are available. For more information, including product spec sheets, please visit www.blinknetwork.com.
With planning complete, and installation underway for residential charging stations, ECOtality will soon be announcing production and installation of Blink commercial charging stations, including the Blink Level 2 Pedestal Charger, and the Blink DC Fast Charger. Both chargers are suitable for public, fleet, and commercial use, and will be found at various Project partner locations including; retail locations, restaurants, hotels, movie theatres, grocery stores, gas stations and convenience stores, places of business and employment centers.
As part of The EV Project, the largest rollout of EV infrastructure in history, ECOtality will monitor the energy usage and output of charging stations, to determine a viable method for mass adoption of electric vehicles and empower the smart grid.
ECOtality is project manager of The EV Project and will oversee the installation of commercial and residential charging stations in 17 cities and major metropolitan areas in six states and the District of Columbia. The project will provide an EV infrastructure to support the deployment of 8,300 EVs. The project is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy through a federal stimulus grant of $114.8 million, made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The grants are matched by private investment, bringing the total value of the project to approximately $230 million.
ECOtality, Inc. (NASDAQ:ECTY), headquartered in San Francisco, California, is a leader in clean electric transportation and storage technologies. Through innovation, acquisitions, and strategic partnerships, ECOtality accelerates the market applicability of advanced electric technologies to replace carbon-based fuels.
