Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
BERKELEY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr 9, 2014--Two new charging stations for electric vehicles will open today in Berkeley, where the number of electric vehicles is surging.
NRG eVgo is building a network of more than 200 Freedom Station fast-charging sites as well as the infrastructure to support Level 2 charging at apartments, workplaces, schools and hospitals throughout California. (Photo: Business Wire)
The new charging stations at the Whole Foods in South Berkeley include a DC Fast Charging station that can add 40 miles of range to an electric vehicle in about 10 minutes. About 350 electric vehicles are registered to Berkeley residents and businesses, an increase of over 70 percent in the last six months.
Whole Foods, on Telegraph at Ashby Avenues, is the first business to participate in a City of Berkeley pilot program to ease the permitting and installation of EV charging stations. The Non-Residential Plug-In Electric Vehicle Charging Station Pilot Program has staff who personally guide businesses through the process. Applications will be accepted through the end of the year.
“It is only natural that we offer EV charging stations at our stores, especially in forward-thinking communities like Berkeley,” said Tristam Coffin, Energy and Maintenance Coordinator at Whole Foods Market.
The City of Berkeley supports the spread of EV infrastructure and the use of electric vehicles as part of the Climate Action Plan’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 33% by 2020. Vehicle travel currently generates over half of our community’s greenhouse gas emissions and driving an EV in Berkeley in place of a conventional automobile can reduce the greenhouse emissions associated with its travel by as much as 70%.
The new EV charging stations installed at the Whole Foods are operated by NRG eVgo and offer DC fast charging and Level 2 charging. Shoppers can use a credit card or subscribe to one of NRG eVgo’s charging plans to pay for charging at Whole Foods EV charging stations.
“The City of Berkeley’s pilot program has expedited the permitting process for electric vehicle charging station installations and enabled us to more quickly deploy the NRG eVgo network for drivers in the area,” said Terry O'Day, Vice President of NRG eVgo in California.
To find out where all public charging stations are located, see the map here: http://www.afdc.energy.gov/fuels/electricity\_locations.html.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available:http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20140409005846/en/
CONTACT: City of Berkeley
Matthai Chakko, Public Information Officer, 510-981-7008
mchakko@cityofberkeley.info
or
NRG eVgo
Carly Kade, Communications, 281-407-1274
carly.kade@nrgenergy.com
KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA CALIFORNIA
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: WOMEN ENERGY ALTERNATIVE ENERGY UTILITIES OTHER ENERGY ALTERNATIVE VEHICLES/FUELS AUTOMOTIVE URBAN PLANNING ENVIRONMENT RETAIL CONSTRUCTION & PROPERTY SUPERMARKET COMMERCIAL BUILDING & REAL ESTATE OTHER CONSTRUCTION & PROPERTY GENERAL AUTOMOTIVE CONSUMER MEN
SOURCE: City of Berkeley
Copyright Business Wire 2014
PUB: 04/09/2014 09:45 AM/DISC: 04/09/2014 09:45 AM
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20140409005846/en
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
