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Pace of Construction on NRG eVgo’s California Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Increases

March 11, 2014 in Electric Vehicles, EV charging, EV News, Sustainable San Francisco

More than 200 potential sites identified through partnerships and agreements 46 now operational, under construction or in permitting

Mayor Matt Hall from the City of Carlsbad and Terry O'Day, Vice President of NRG eVgo California, display the brand new Freedom Station for charging electric cars at Carlsbad Premium Outlets in California Photo courtesy of eVgo

Mayor Matt Hall from the City of Carlsbad and Terry O’Day, Vice President of NRG eVgo California, display the brand new Freedom Station for charging electric cars at Carlsbad Premium Outlets in California
Photo courtesy of eVgo

CALIFORNIA – Today NRG eVgo, a subsidiary of NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NRG), announced that it has partnerships and agreements in place to have more than 200 fast-charging Freedom Station® charging sites built throughout California. Currently, NRG has a total of 46 electric vehicle (EV) charging sites operational, under construction or currently being permitted in San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco with 15 operational across the state of California.

“We are making great progress building a comprehensive infrastructure that will make owning an electric vehicle even more convenient and fun. As this network is built out, it will make buying an EV attractive to even more drivers across California,” said Terry O’Day, Vice President of NRG eVgo in California. “The pace of construction has significantly increased. We have been encouraged by the support of partners like Simon Property Group and Kimco Realty Corp., the nation’s largest owner-operators of retail shopping centers, to deploy Freedom Station sites across the state giving us more than 200 potential fast-charging stations throughout California.”

Also advancing charging at apartment communities and workplaces, eVgo has more than 50 sites under contract representing over 400 parking spots and recently announced a partnership with Sequoia Equities, a leader in multifamily investment management, to provide EV “Level 2” charging infrastructure at 28 apartment communities across the state. Additionally, NRG has completed site assessments and construction drawings for hundreds more sites, which could ultimately result in 2,000 more EV-ready parking spaces.

Helping to ensure the benefits of electric vehicles are available to all, more than 20% of the Freedom Station sites built, under construction or in permitting, are located in qualified lower-income regions.

By the end of 2016, the eVgo Freedom Station network will support California EV drivers in the greater San Diego area, the San Francisco Bay Area, the Los Angeles Basin and the San Joaquin Valley. This expanded network means improved air quality, less dependence on foreign oil, a lower total cost of ownership of vehicles, and overall—a better, cleaner California.

“We take great pride in helping reframe the way Californians think about electric cars and their ability to enjoy cleaner transportation by providing the state with the best and most robust fast charging infrastructure in the United States,” said O’Day.

eVgo’s progress can be reviewed in their most recent report to the California Public Utility Commission via http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/puc/.

About NRG eVgo

The NRG eVgoSM network gives electric vehicle (EV) owners new freedom and range confidence via home and workplace charging docks, plus a network of fast charging stations conveniently located at retailers along major transportation corridors within eVgo cities. Service plans offered by eVgo can provide EV owners a home or workplace charger and use of eVgo’s Freedom Station® sites and other public charging stations. eVgo is a wholly owned subsidiary of NRG Energy, Inc., a Fortune 500 company at the forefront of changing how people think about, buy and use energy. Through eVgo, NRG will provide access to hundreds of public charging sites across California, Texas and the greater Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. To find out more, or to join the eVgo network, visit www.nrgevgo.com. Connect with eVgo on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @nrgevgo.

This article is a repost, credit: NRG.

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There’s “No Charge to Charge” for New Nissan LEAF Buyers in Texas

September 26, 2013 in Electric Vehicles, EV charging, EV News, LEAF, Nissan

Program from Nissan, NRG eVgo provides one year of complimentary charging to new buyers of the all-electric Nissan LEAF
Photo courtesy of Nissan

Photo courtesy of Nissan

DALLAS – Driving the all-electric Nissan LEAF means never having to buy gas. Now, thanks to the new “No Charge to Charge” program, offered by Nissan and NRG eVgo, new buyers and lessees of the all-electric Nissan LEAF in the Dallas-Fort Worth and greater Houston areas will have unlimited access to the eVgo network for public charging stations for their first year of ownership at no cost.

Beginning in October, customers who lease or purchase a new Nissan LEAF in the Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston markets will receive one year of complimentary access to eVgo’s comprehensive Freedom Station ® charging network, including 23 locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and 17 in the greater Houston area.  Also, included as part of the eVgo network, is charging at Park N’ Fly locations at DFW and IAH airports.

“Nissan LEAF owners who already subscribe to NRG eVgo’s Freedom Station network rave about the convenience and increased range confidence it provides,” said Erik Gottfried, Nissan’s director of EV Sales and Marketing. “Adding one of the country’s most innovative charging plans to the world’s best-selling electric car is a clear win for Nissan LEAF buyers.”

Dallas-Fort Worth is one of the fastest growing markets in the country for Nissan LEAF sales, with deliveries up 500 percent so far in 2013 as compared to 2012. The presence of strong public infrastructure with eVgo, as well as major technology companies and strong word-of-mouth referrals from existing owners has fuelled the rapid rise in LEAF sales.

“NRG eVgo has created a comprehensive suite of electric vehicle charging products to support the growing number of EVs and to address EV drivers’ need to charge both at home as well as on the road,” said Jack Cannata, director of marketing for NRG eVgo. “With access to our well-placed charging stations across the Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston metro areas, Nissan LEAF drivers can really maximize their use of the vehicle.”

eVgo Freedom Station sites, conveniently located along major roadways, offer electric car drivers DC fast charging and Level 2 charging. DC fast chargers can deliver up to an 80% charge in less than 30 minutes. Level 2 chargers deliver range at a rate of 12 – 25 miles per hour. Most sites are available 24/7 and are positioned near retail stores as well as restaurants to provide the option to shop or eat while charging.

Nissan will offer “No Charge to Charge” with acquisitions of the Nissan LEAF made between October 1, 2013 and March 31, 2014 at all certified Nissan LEAF dealers in the Dallas-Fort Worth and greater Houston area markets.

About NRG eVgo

The NRG eVgo℠ network gives electric vehicle (EV) owners new freedom and range confidence via home and workplace charging docks plus a network of fast charging stations conveniently located at retailers along major transportation corridors within eVgo cities. Service plans offered by eVgo can provide EV owners a home charger and unlimited use of eVgo’s Freedom Station® sites – all for one low monthly fee. eVgo is a wholly owned subsidiary of NRG Energy, Inc., a Fortune 500 company at the forefront of changing how people think about, buy and use energy. Through eVgo, NRG will provide access to hundreds of public charging sites across California, Texas and the greater Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. To find out more, or to join the eVgo network, visit www.eVgoNetwork.com. Connect with eVgo on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @evgonetwork.

About Nissan North America

In North America, Nissan’s operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program and has been recognized as an ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.NissanUSA.com and www.InfinitiUSA.com, or visit the Americas media sites NissanNews.com and InfinitiNews.com.

About Nissan

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan’s second-largest automotive company, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, and is part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with more than 236,000 employees globally, Nissan sold more than 4.9 million vehicles and generated revenue of 9.6 trillion yen (USD 116.16 billion) in fiscal 2012. Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of over 60 models under the Nissan and Infiniti brands. In 2010, Nissan introduced the Nissan LEAF, and continues to lead in zero-emission mobility. The LEAF, the first mass-market, pure-electric vehicle launched globally, is now the best-selling EV in history.

For more information on our products, services and commitment to sustainable mobility, visit our website at http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/.

This article is a repost, credit: Nissan.

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Kimco brings NRG eVgo electric vehicle fast charging to Westlake Shopping Center

September 5, 2013 in Electric Vehicles, EV charging, EV News, San Francisco

  • Kimco brings NRG eVgo electric vehicle fast charging to Westlake Shopping Center
  • eVgo Freedom Station sites planned for 7 Kimco centers in California 

Freedom Station Photo courtesy of eVgo

Freedom Station
Photo courtesy of eVgo

NEW HYDE PARK, N.Y., September 04, 2013 — Kimco Realty Corp. (NYSE:KIM), owner and operator of the nation’s largest shopping center portfolio, and NRG eVgo (ee-vee-go) are pleased to announce the opening of the Bay Area’s first Freedom Station® at Westlake Shopping Center in Daly City, Calif. The eVgo Freedom Station at Westlake offers electric vehicle (EV) owners both rapid and traditional EV charging, and is one of seven eVgo Freedom Station sites planned at Kimco retail centers in California this year. eVgo Freedom Station sites include 480-volt “DC Fast Chargers” and standard 240-volt “Level 2” chargers compatible with any electric vehicle with a plug.

“We’re thrilled to have our first NRG eVgo Freedom Station up and running at Westlake,” said David Jamieson, Kimco’s vice president of leasing and asset management. “Californians drive more than one-third of the electric vehicles in the country, so building a network of quick-charge stations at Kimco centers, which are easily accessible by commuters, is a valued amenity to our customers and retailers.”

Freedom Station Photo courtesy of eVgo

Freedom Station
Photo courtesy of eVgo

“This NRG eVgo Freedom Station is an example of Kimco’s dedication to sustainability and will enable drivers of zero and low emission vehicles to use no or little gasoline while working, shopping or socializing at Westlake Shopping Center,” said Terry O’Day, director of business development for NRG eVgo in California. “Unveiling this first of seven NRG eVgo Freedom Station sites with Kimco is an important milestone in making electric vehicles more convenient for the citizens of Daly City, the Bay Area and the state of California.”

The 686,000-square-foot Westlake Shopping Center is located at 402 Westlake Center at the corner of John Daly Boulevard and Lake Merced Boulevard in Daly City, Calif. The eVgo Freedom Station is situated on the first floor of Westlake Shopping Center’s parking garage adjacent to The Home Depot.

The Westlake site offers the Bay Area’s first eVgo DC Fast Charger, which can provide up to an 80 percent charge in about 30 minutes, and has been designed to easily incorporate a second DC Fast Charger. The station also offers a Level 2 charger, which can provide up to 24 miles of range per hour of charge.

Will Teichman, Kimco’s director of sustainability, commented, “The NRG eVgo Freedom Station at Westlake is a significant example of Kimco’s commitment to operate in an environmentally mindful way, and is one of several enhancements we’ve made at the center. We’ve installed energy-efficient lighting in the common areas, and added a state-of-the-art energy management system to monitor and control usage.”

The seven eVgo Freedom Station sites planned at Kimco’s California centers align with the state’s goal of 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles on California’s roadways by 2025. eVgo is building electric vehicle charging networks across the San Francisco Bay Area, San Joaquin Valley, Los Angeles Basin and San Diego area. As more Freedom Station sites are built and the network established, EV drivers will have access to hundreds of public fast-charging sites along with Level 2 charging stations at homes, offices, multi-family communities, schools and hospitals.

About Kimco

Kimco Realty Corp. (NYSE: KIM) is a real estate investment trust (REIT) headquartered in New Hyde Park, N.Y., that owns and operates North America’s largest portfolio of neighborhood and community shopping centers. As of June 30, 2013, the company owned interests in 874 shopping centers comprising 128 million square feet of leasable space across 43 states, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico and South America. Publicly traded on the NYSE since 1991, and included in the S&P 500 Index, the company has specialized in shopping center acquisition, development and management for more than 50 years. For further information, please visit www.kimcorealty.com, the company’s blog at blog.kimcorealty.com, or follow Kimco on Twitter at www.twitter.com/kimcorealty.

About NRG eVgo

The NRG eVgo network gives EV owners new freedom and range confidence via home charging and fast charging stations conveniently located at major retailers along highways across eVgo cities. Service plans offered by eVgo allow EV owners to avoid paying large up-front costs for a home or work charger and provide unlimited use of the eVgo network of Freedom Station® sites —all for one low monthly fee.  eVgo is a wholly owned subsidiary of NRG Energy, Inc., a Fortune 500 company at the forefront of changing how people think about and use energy. NRG’s investment in EV charging infrastructure will provide EV drivers with access to hundreds of public fast-charging Freedom Station sites along with level 2 charging stations at homes, offices, multi-family communities, schools and hospitals across California, Texas and the greater Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.  To find out more, or to join the eVgo network, visit www.eVgoNetwork.com. Connect with eVgo on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @evgonetwork.

This article is a repost, credit: NRG, http://www.nrgenergy.com/.

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by Jack Collins

eVgo Nissan GM Shape EV Charging

February 7, 2013 in Electric Vehicles, EV charging, EV News

Nissan partners with eVgo to establish the first quick-charging network in the greater Washington D.C. area, providing eVgo with 40 electric vehicle fast chargers. Nissan also announces strategy to triple the number of fast chargers across the country. Photo courtesy of eVgo.

Nissan partners with eVgo to establish the first quick-charging network in the greater Washington D.C. area, providing eVgo with 40 electric vehicle fast chargers. Nissan also announces strategy to triple the number of fast chargers across the country. Photo courtesy of eVgo.

Nissan is supplying 40 fast chargers for eVgo’s Washington D.C. charging service region, which is certainly good news for the EV industry and all its local adherents.  Nissan and eVgo are two high quality companies with big aspirations for the future of electric vehicles.  With gasoline prices on the rise and conflict in the Middle East, the politicians in Washington could use a cleaner better view of the future direction of the country and the world.  Americans are seeing the change.  The EV industry boom is coming.  Carly Kade of eVgo communications stated: “The visibility of the Freedom Stations give people the confidence to purchase electric vehicles.”  A Freedom Station (charging station) is at least one fast charger and one level II charger.

The Chevy Spark EV with the SAE standard fast charging technology is expected to start arriving in the United States this summer.  EVgo does plan to add the SAE standard fast charging technology into its Freedom Stations as these vehicles become available in its service areas.  GM spokeswoman Annalisa Bluhm said: “The Spark EV is expected to be the first production model utilizing the SAE standard for fast charging.”  GM has not stated a specific MSRP on the Spark EV yet, but they have said that the vehicle is expected to be priced under $25,000 including the federal tax incentive.  The Spark EV is being manufactured in South Korea, so there are currency issues that could influence the MSRP.

Carly Kade said: “EVgo is technology agnostic,” meaning that the company is going to incorporate the most appropriate technology for its EV charging customers.  The company is open to any direction the charging technology leads.  David Crane, the CEO of NRG (the parent company of eVgo), “has three EVs,” said Carly Kade.  Obviously, Mr. Crane enjoys driving electric.

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by Jack Collins

Auto Sales Strong but EV Sales Weak

February 2, 2013 in Electric Vehicles, EV News

Chevy Volt Photo courtesy of GM

Chevy Volt
Photo courtesy of GM

US auto sales in January remained strong.  Reuters reported: “U.S. auto sales rose 14 percent in January, kicking off the industry’s fourth straight year of recovery since the depths of recession as American consumers increasingly sought to replace their aging cars and trucks.”  However, electric vehicle sales were very disappointing in January for the Volt, LEAF, and Prius plug-in.  These were the results:

Volt sales 1,140

LEAF sales 650

Prius plug-in sales 874

Volt results were surprisingly poor, but this was only one month, and the company has rebounded quickly in the past.  GM has been researching and investing to bring the next generation Volt price down.  The technological improvements are coming to make that happen.  It is just a matter of time.

Nissan partners with eVgo to establish the first quick-charging network in the greater Washington D.C. area, providing eVgo with 40 electric vehicle fast chargers. Nissan also announces strategy to triple the number of fast chargers across the country. Photo courtesy of eVgo.

Nissan partners with eVgo to establish the first quick-charging network in the greater Washington D.C. area, providing eVgo with 40 electric vehicle fast chargers. Nissan also announces strategy to triple the number of fast chargers across the country. Photo courtesy of eVgo.

Nissan’s sales of the LEAF were understandably low, because the company was selling off the little remaining 2012 inventory to make way for the 2013 LEAF.  Toyota Prius plug-in sales were not terrible, but results were far from good.

Overall, I believe these poor EV sales were partly due to relatively low retail gasoline prices in the month of January, and also there was no rush for those interested in a tax credit for 2013.  To say the least, it is best to put January in the past.  Moving forward, the new EV campaign from the Department of Energy, Workplace Charging Challenge, will create a new impetus to the electric vehicle movement.  I believe that greater visibility and accessibility of EV charging infrastructure will immensely improve EV sales.

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by Jack Collins

eVgo Expanding Model to New Markets

January 15, 2013 in Electric Vehicles, EV charging, EV News

eVgo Coming Soon to Van Ness in DC
Photo courtesy of eVgo

Electric vehicle charging company, eVgo, is on the move.  The company has just broke ground on its first Freedom Station (EV charging station) in its new Washington D.C. – Baltimore market.  A Freedom Station is at least one fast charger and one level II charger together.  Carly Kade of eVgo communications stated: “We are so happy with the interest in our Texas markets that we are expanding.”  The company is also starting to move forward in California with the CPUC/NRG settlement agreement behind it.  Altogether, the eVgo model is looking more and more like a national model in the making.

The reason for eVgo’s early success is quite simple.  The company strives to educate the EV customer and ease the EV adoption process.  In Houston and Dallas Fort Worth, the company has arrangements with local dealerships to educate the EV customer about its EV charging plans, and the customer can take a test drive out to a Freedom Station for a demonstration.  Most importantly, eVgo offers a Complete Plan that clearly identifies the possible fuel savings by driving electric, and the company quickly handles the home charging installation for the customer.  Carly Kade said: “It takes the thought out of EV ownership.”  Lastly, the company offers a 30 day charging network trial, so the customer can better experience a network membership.  EVgo does have the advantage of being the only company with fast chargers in the Houston and Dallas Fort Worth markets.

California eVgo Freedom Station plans
Image courtesy of eVgo

In the California market, eVgo’s parent company, NRG, had agreed to spend 100 million dollars on EV charging infrastructure as part of a settlement agreement with the California Public Utilities Commission.  50.5 million dollars will be spent on Freedom Stations, and the company has initiated the process of permitting for these sites.  EVgo is planning 200 Freedom Stations in the following areas: 55 San Francisco, 15 San Joaquin Valley, 110 Los Angeles, and 20 San Diego.

In addition to the Freedom Stations, the company is also spending forty million dollars on what it calls “make-readies.”  Make-ready is a term used to describe all the work that needs to be done to prepare an apartment or commercial building for charging installations.  The company is required to make-ready 1,000 building sites as part of the settlement, which will support a total of 10,000 charging points.

The company has four years to complete all this work.  Once an apartment or commercial site is made-ready, eVgo has eighteen months of exclusivity to install charging equipment at the site.  This is a great incentive to move the company and EV adoption forward.  Lastly, the company will be spending 9 million dollars on other EV charging services and technologies.  This remaining portion of the settlement agreement will be examined in a future story on eVgo.

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