Electric Vehicle Charging Station to be Installed at City Center Plaza

The City of Rohnert Park has decided to participate in the ChargePoint America Grant Program to have a Coulomb electric vehicle (EV) charging station installed at the City Center Plaza parking lot.  The grant funding covers the Coulomb charging station itself, installation costs, and a 2-year warranty on parts. Additionally, the grant also covers the subscription service to the Coulomb website, which allows potential customers to access the website through a computer or smart phone.  Charging stations have wireless Internet connection to provide billing service and charging station status.  The Coulomb website includes:

1. Map depicting “the electric trail,” which can be incorporated into existing maps
2. Allows end user to reserve a charger in advance
3. Specific details for each charging station, including the location, availability, charging levels, and hours/days of operation
4. The lists and maps will be available on the website and can also be distributed at visitor centers, tourism centers, hotels, etc.

The Rohnert Park charging station will be part of a major network being installed through Sonoma County.  Sonoma County’s EV Charging Station Program aims to create an EV charging infrastructure network that will lay the foundation to grow the electric car industry in California, where more than 100,000 EV owners currently live.  Rohnert Park is one of six (6) cities to participate in the federal grant programs.  When installed at the City Center Plaza parking lot, the EV charging station will be amongst more than 140 EV charging stations infrastructure planned throughout Sonoma County. 

Additional reasons for installing the charging station include the following:

1. Not all EV charging can occur at home (estimated 81% at home, 10% workplace, 7% shopping, 2% other).
2. Gas stations are not designed for “charging.”
3. EV drivers need services while charging (i.e. hotel, restaurants, golf course, workplace, wineries, etc.).
4. Recent State legislation mandates that zero-emission vehicles account for close to one-sixth of all new light vehicles sold in California by 2025.  This equates to 1.4 million and a 1,300% increase from the current 100,000 EVs.  Thus, it is reasonable to assume a significant increase in demand for EVs over the next ten years.

The Rohnert Park EV charging station is expected to be available for use this coming fall (2012).  We will keep you posted as we move forward with this project.