SAN RAMON, CA--July 19, 2012: Bishop Ranch, the largest mixed-use business community in the East Bay, today announced a partnership with ECOtality (NASDAQ:ECTY) to install its state-of-the-art electric vehicle (EV) charging hub, including one of the first BlinkŪ DC Fast Charging in the country, and the only one in San Francisco's East Bay region. The EV charging center is located at BR 6, at 2440 Camino Ramon, San Ramon, California.
“Workplace charging is quickly becoming one of the most important location for EV drivers to charge while away from home”
Bishop Ranch is dedicated to the transportation needs of its 30,000 commuters, and the EV charging center is the newest component of its award-winning transportation program. The program includes free connections to Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART); free bus passes (valued at $1,250 annually per employee); train, vanpool and carpool transit incentives; a Guaranteed Ride Home program; and personalized commute-planning assistance for tenants.
"Bishop Ranch is home to some of the world's leading companies and innovative startups, with well-educated, environmentally aware employees. People who work at Bishop Ranch have many commuting options, and today commuting by electric vehicle just got a whole lot easier," said Edward Hagopian, executive vice president of Sunset Development Company, owner and operator of Bishop Ranch. "Installing Blink EV charging stations is another example of our sustainable business practices and our commitment to providing green tenant services in order to preserve natural resources for the future," said Hagopian.
Bishop Ranch's world-class commuter program has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Transportation. The program also received the Best Workplaces for Commuters Gold Award for outstanding contributions that meet the National Standard of Excellence, and the Best Workplaces for Commuters for exemplary performance in promoting commuter benefits. Many newer corporate transportation programs have been modeled on Bishop Ranch's program, which has served nearly 4 million passengers and proudly has eliminated 10,000 cars from the road daily.
"Workplace charging is quickly becoming one of the most important location for EV drivers to charge while away from home," stated Greg Fioriti, Chief Revenue Officer of ECOtality. "Bishop Ranch is a perfect host site in terms of location, and it is great to see large office campuses joining the EV Project and enabling greater driving freedom for EV drivers in the Bay Area."
The BlinkŪ DC Fast Charger from ECOtality, a leader in clean electric transportation and storage technologies, can fully charge CHAdeMo-equipped EVs in less than 20 minutes. For vehicles not equipped for DC Fast charging, Bishop Ranch also installed two Blink Level 2 chargers. The Blink chargers have been installed in conjunction with the EV Project, managed by ECOtality. The EV Project provides EV infrastructure to support the deployment of EVs in key markets and is a public-private partnership, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy through a federal stimulus grant and made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
For more information about the EV Project, please visit www.theevproject.com.
The Blink DC Fast Charger is rated at 60 kW (200€“450 VDC, up to 200A) and provides a quick, safe method for charging EVs. Ideally suited for high-traffic commercial locations and major transportation corridors, the dual-port charger features two CHAdeMo-compliant EV charging connectors, and provides an intuitive connector dock for storage and protection. The charger also has two interactive touch-screens and a 42-inch color display for media and messaging. With real-time communication capabilities, the Blink DC Fast Charger contains an internal energy meter, which supports energy usage data evaluation.
Note to Media: High resolution photos available
About Bishop Ranch
Established in 1978 by Sunset Development Company, Bishop Ranch is a 585-acre, mixed-use business community comprising 9 million square feet of office space in 30 buildings that will all be LEED certified and have all been Energy Star rated. More than 550 of the world's leading companies, innovative startups, and medical and dental practitioners make their home in the thriving professional business community of Bishop Ranch. The recipient of many awards, including the Urban Land Institute Award for Excellence, Bishop Ranch is home to many Global 2000 companies, including Chevron, General Electric, Toyota and Bank of the West. Learn more at Bishop Ranch.
About ECOtality
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. For more information about ECOtality, Inc., please visit Ecotality.
