West Coast Electric Highway to Receive Extensive Upgrade from EVCS

44 charging sites in Oregon to be revamped by leading charging station company

ARCADIA, Calif. (August XX, 2021) – EV Charging Solutions (EVCS), one of the largest electric vehicle (EV) fast charging network operators on the West Coast, today announced that they are approved and funded by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to upgrade 44 and add three new electric vehicle charging stations on the Oregon portion of the original West Coast Electric Highway (WCEH). Eleven of the 47 stations will be called “superstations” and will include three DC fast chargers and one Level 2 AC charger. In all, more than 100 charging ports will be upgraded or added.

This upgrade will replace existing CHAdeMO-only DC fast chargers with new DC fast chargers that have both CCS-combo and CHAdeMO DCFC charging capability, which will allow all Oregon EV drivers to use the WCEH stations. The existing Level 2 AC chargers will also be replaced with new equipment. Another new feature will be a 110V outlet for e-bikes and e-scooters. For Tesla drivers, a CHAdeMO adaptor will be available for use at all EVCS stations.

In Oregon, and across the nation, one issue with choosing to drive electric is the lack of available charging facilities. The West Coast Electric Highway offers an extensive network of charging stations in convenient locations from Baja California to British Columbia, Canada. EVCS, with its deep expertise developing zero emission infrastructure, will provide upgrades to ensure that all EV drivers have access to these stations, powered by renewable energy sourced from the procurement of Renewable Energy Certificates.

“Our goal is to create the most reliable and accessible EV charging infrastructure in the nation,” said Gustavo Occhiuzzo, CEO of EVCS. “EVCS’s collaboration with ODOT to upgrade the West Coast Electric Highway will help increase driver confidence in going electric as we seek to combat climate change through our sustainable charging stations.”

An EVCS subscription plan will be available that includes a monthly unlimited EV charging plan and a pay-as-you-go option. Various payment methods will be available including the EVCS app, PlugShare app, QR codes, and credit card readers.

The Oregon portion of the West Coast Electric Highway — 44 sites — is a public-private partnership under ODOT’s Oregon Innovative Partnership Program. The $5M station upgrade project is supported by a $4M grant from ODOT, which is a combination of federal and state funds, as part of ODOT’s commitment to increasing electrification infrastructure. EVCS will provide approximately 20% match funding, or $1M, for the upgrade project. The two-year project is set to launch by October 2021.

“Modern and accessible public charging is a basic need for Oregon’s EV owners, and will encourage more Oregonians to make the switch to EVs, which in turn will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation,” Travis Brouwer, ODOT assistant director for Revenue, Finance and Compliance. “We’re proud to partner with EVCS to source funding for these critical upgrades, and excited for their continued stewardship of the West Coast Electric Highway.”

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About EVCS

EVCS was founded in 2018 by Green Commuter founder Gustavo Occhiuzzo and finance expert Ian Vishnevsky to provide and operate public- and private-based EV charging infrastructure. EVCS disrupted the mobility power industry by employing a complete turnkey approach that utilizes both public and private grants, rebates, and other financial incentives to encourage governments and businesses to install fast charging stations. EVCS has secured over $50M in government funding and engaged over 500 partner sites. EVCS’s mission is to cut emissions while simultaneously improving air quality by enabling adoption of EVs. EVCS is also the owner/operator of the Washington State portion of the original WCEH network of EV charging stations. Visit EVCS for more information here: www.evcs.com

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About West Coast Electric Highway

The West Coast Electric Highway is an extensive network of electric vehicle DC fast charging stations located every 25 to 50 miles along Interstate 5, Hwy 101, and other major roadways in British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California. The initiative is a collection of projects, funding sources, and partners with the same vision: to provide a network of fast charging stations enabling electric vehicle drivers to make longer trips and travel between cities. Learn more online: www.westcoastgreenhighway.com/electrichighway.htm

Media Contact: Maddie Cuttler | PR DEPT | evcs@pr-dept.com

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How EVCS is Repairing Reliability Concerns

One of the biggest concerns among EV drivers today is the reliability of public chargers. One recent survey from the Department of Bioengineering at UC Berkeley claims as many as 23% of public chargers in the Bay Area alone are, as Wired sums up, “nonfunctioning at any given time, stymied by broken screens, shoddy credit card or payment systems, network connection failures, or damaged plugs.” And that’s in a locale prioritizing the conversion to electric. Testimony from motorists seems to corroborate these findings. A CEC survey of 1,290 EV drivers found that fully 60% had experienced damaged or inoperable chargers, while almost half needed assistance from customer service. We find this wholly unacceptable and have taken measures to ensure that chargers in the EVCS network rise to the standard of operability our customers expect. Here are a few ways we’re doing that:

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