Ecotality Confirms Locations for Bay Area’s First Electric Car Fast Chargers

The San Francisco Bay Area is one of the nation’s most vibrant places for electric cars. And yet, during this past year, Bay Area’s EV owners have been lacking spots for DC Quick Charging—480-volt charging locations where an electric car can go from an empty battery to 80% full in 20 - 30 minutes. According to an email I received today from Jason Smith, Ecotality’s Northern California area manager, that could change as early as next month, when DC Fast Chargers will be installed in Belmont and San Ramon.

“We haven't installed any DC Fast Charge units in the Bay Area yet,” writes Smith, “But I have signed contracts with the Volkswagen Electronics Research Lab in Belmont, and Sunset Development (Bishop Ranch) in San Ramon. Both of these will be installed sometime in January depending on the permitting.” The installation of these Quick Chargers could open up the entire Bay Area for daily EV excursions—to and from San Francisco, Marin, the East Bay, and South Bay.

"This is a terrific development welcomed by all EV owners in the Bay Area," said Howard Clearfield, who leads the Bay Area's Nissan LEAF owners group. "It will extend the practical range of round-trip travel to a region stretching from Santa Rosa, or maybe even Napa Valley, to Santa Cruz." He said that LEAF owners will continue to work with Ecotality to help locate additional Quick Charge station locations throughout the area. "These stations will allow more people to adopt EVs into their active lifestyle, and thereby take gas-burning vehicles off the road."

Ecotality's Smith indicated that six to 10 other locations are in various stages of development as well, and that details should be announced soon. “Q1 of 2012 will be significant for DCFC in the Bay Area, and I am looking forward to getting these rolled out,” writes Smith.

In February 2011, Ecotality announced that it was expanding The EV Project to the San Francisco Bay Area. ECOtality was awarded a $2.87 million contract from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to complete the effort. Through this program, Ecotality will oversee the installation of 2,750 home charging stations and 30 DC fast charging stations throughout the Bay Area. At that time, Ecotality also announced an award of $614,800 from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, allowing the company to install 20 Blink DC Fast Chargers, out of the 30 total chargers installed throughout the program.

While the lion’s share of EV charging will continue to happen via home chargers, the DC Quick Chargers will allow Bay Area electric car owners the ability to add 50 or 60 miles of driving range, during a pit stop of 30 minutes or less.

The first two locations for electric vehicle DC Quick Charging are positioned on opposite sides of the bay, and will extend practical driving range for many Bay Area EV drivers.

West Coast Fast Charge Corridor

Quick charge opportunities are expanding throughout the West Coast. Yesterday, officials from the Washington State Department of Transportation, along with Bellingham, Wash. Mayor Dan Pike gathered to celebrate the installation of the state’s first DC Quick Charge station. The station is located in the Bellingham’s Sehome Village Shopping Center off Interstate 5.

The DC quick charge unit is one of several that will eventually be installed along Interstate 5 as part of the West Coast Electric Highway. When complete, the network of chargers along I-5 will enable electric vehicle owners to travel along the 276 miles of interstate in Washington and Oregon.

There are already three DC Quick Chargers in the Portland area: located at World Trade Center, Electric Avenue, and the Hollywood District Fred Meyer Store. Additional Fast Chargers in Southern Oregon through a collaboration of Oregon Department of Transportation, Office of Innovative Partnerships, and Transportation Electrification Projects.

At the groundbreaking ceremony, Washington's Transportation Secretary, Paula Hammond, stated, "The transition from gasoline and foreign oil to alternative fuels, such as electricity, for transportation requires a huge first step—infrastructure."