The EV Charging Dialogue in the Commercial Real Estate Industry

Image courtesy of Naly Yang

I'm returning from an excruciatingly busy week of traveling.  I had the pleasure of attending two large conferences in Phoenix and Los Angeles with plenty of commercial real estate companies.  These conferences, expos, etc. all run the same gamut with booths and happy hours and fancy wi-fi stations.

But what I really look for when I attend these event is honing in on the dialogue.

What is being said?
What is important enough to converse about?
What are the idea generators at theses events?
Why do they find this topic important?
etc.

At both shows, involving large commercial real estate companies, I was surprised by the little amount of dialogue and attention that involved Electric Vehicle Charging Stations.

Most executives are probably wondering - "How does the world of EVs and EV Charging affect my business?"


In which I respond with another question:
Where is the place that people spend most of their lives? --- Work and home.

This impacts commercial real estate executives in tremendous ways!  Now you actually have to consider installing stations for tenants, employees, multifamily dwellers, etc. who are more sustainability conscious.

Whether they're business tenants or multifamily dwellers - how will you cope when a tenant rings you up and says, "Guess what?  I just bought a Chevy Volt.  Will you be installing EV charging stations here or should I move to a building where there are some."  

Who should be in charge of installing the station?
Who will manage it?
Should you charge tenants?
Should it be open to the community?
How many will you need?
Does your building have the capacity to install stations?

The EV and EV charging station industry is directly impacting the commercial real estate world in many ways - this is just one example.

SemaConnect, along with other companies, are part of the U.S. Green Building Council.  This organization brings attention to building sustainable spaces.  But the great thing about EV charging stations is that it is a sustainable amenity that employees, tenants, multifamily dwellers, etc. can utilize back and forth in home life and in work life.

I'd be ecstatic to attend another one of these shows and see a whole break-out session devoted to this subject because I believe it's going to be a major topic as more EVs roll out from top automakers, and the need for EV charging infrastructure grows.

When commercial real estate companies like Corporate Office Properties Trust, Tower Companies, The Bozzuto Group and so much more are starting to install EV charging stations - isn't it time you start the dialogue at your company?

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Naly Yang leads the Marketing Communications initiatives at SemaConnect, and manages the company brand.  She actively follows and reports on trends in the EVSE and EV industry.  When not brainstorming a new creative idea, reading, writing, or graphic design, she is an avid traveler, cook, and all around life lover.  Contact her at naly.yang@semaconnect.com or follow her on Twitter @Sema_Connect. 

ChargePro - Newest Model

We promised innovation, and now we're delivering it to you...

Check out the latest model of The ChargePro Charging Station!
It's hard to imagine that in two short years, our team has been able to dream up and produce five models now.  We're so proud and happy of our new ChargePro model, and we hope everyone likes it as well.

It's probably the sleekest charging station on the market.  And with the rollout of 1500 ChargePro charging stations across the U.S., be on the lookout in your town!

Remember to follow us on Twitter, watch us on YouTube and sign-up for your FREE SemaCharge Pass!

*More photos on our Flickr account!

Happy Charging!

Plug-In Day! (Washington, DC)

Join us on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. and help us celebrate National Plug-In Day!

Organized by Plug In America, Sierra Club and the Electric Auto Association, this has now become the designated day for learning about Plug-In vehicles and how it helps to promote a cleaner greener world!

The event is being held in a number of locations, but the Washington, D.C. event is being held near the Capitol Building.  Check out our flyer below!

Plug InDay Flyer Email Email

Be sure to join us!
See you there!

350Green Partners with SemaConnect on Largest Commercial Purchase of Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging stations

350Green will roll out 1,500 ChargePro^TM stations across the US in 2011-2012

ANNAPOLIS, Oct. 4, 2011 – 350Green, a developer of electric vehicle (EV) charging station networks and SemaConnect, a leading developer and producer of smart networked electric vehicle charging stations and sophisticated EV station software, today announced the purchase of 1,500 ChargePro EV charging stations, the largest commercial order of EV charging stations to date. As the number of electric cars on the roads increase, so does the demand for convenient charging. 350Green is helping to meet that demand by rolling out a national network of EV charging stations at major retail and commercial locations.

“We’re proud to partner with 350Green for the national launch of our ChargePro charging stations,” said Mahi Reddy, CEO of SemaConnect. “Conveniently located charging stations will play a critical part in the adoption of EV’s. With our stations, EV drivers have a safe, easy and reliable means of powering their vehicles.”

The need for convenient, public charging is growing fast as most major automakers are already producing electric cars, or will be in the near future. The early focus on EV infrastructure has been on installing charging equipment in homes and municipal garages. However, many urban residents don’t have access to home or garage units, and all EV drivers need to have the confidence they can find a charge if their battery runs low while they are on the road.

“Anyone who owns, or is thinking about buying an EV, is concerned about how easy it will be to find a charge when they need one,” said Mariana Gerzanych, CEO of 350Green. “As such, EV’s will never become truly mainstream until there is adequate public infrastructure support. These 1,500 chargers and our national network are aimed at getting us over the hump.”

SemaConnect and 350Green’s partnership aims to give all drivers a chance to participate in the EV revolution by increasing the number of EV charging stations located conveniently near where people live and work. Now, drivers can charge their electric cars while they shop, dine, or entertain themselves in a variety of commercial and retail locations in major metropolitan areas. 350Green’s network is helping to make EV ownership a realistic option for thousands more residents.

Specifically designed for commercial-grade applications, SemaConnect’s ChargePro Charging Station is a sleek, compact charging unit that is easily installed and integrated into developing and existing facilities at multifamily, office, retail, fleet and municipal parking locations.

This intelligent, network-based EV charging system features:

·         Smart card authentication – for open or restricted access.

·         Smart Grid Integration – for easy energy metering and demand response.

·         Automatic billing/payment system – for easy revenue generation.

·         Easy Installation - use our turnkey solution or your own contractor.

About 350Green

350Green is a project developer that designs, builds and operates a scalable, nationwide network of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. The company partners with retailers, commercial property managers and developers, and municipalities to locate charging stations at places near where EV drivers live and work. Current projects are underway in Illinois, Pennsylvania, California, and New York. The company has signed partnerships with Walgreens and Simon Property Group, among others. More information is available at www.350green.com.

About SemaConnect, Inc.
SemaConnect is a leading provider of electric vehicle charging stations and sophisticated software for station owners and electric vehicle drivers. Our ChargePro Charging Stations utilize CDMA and Zigbee Wireless technology and offer advanced features such as smart-grid integration, RFID card authentication, sustainability reporting and more. To purchase your charging station, contact us at (410) 384 – 4223, or visit www.SemaConnect.com. Follow us on Twitter @Sema_Connect and learn more about EV infrastructure on our YouTube Channel, SemaConnect.

Media Contact for 350Green:

John Williams, Scoville PR

jwilliams@scovillepr.com

Phone: (206) 625-0075 x1

Media Contact for SemaConnect:

Naly Yang

naly.yang@semaconnect.com

Phone: (410) 384 - 4223

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