Mike Moran: Volkswagen subsidiary rolling out plans to install large-scale EV charging network

Nov. 25, 2019
Mike Moran, Electrify America’s head of communications, recently responded to a series of questions posed by Aftermarket Business World.

In 2016 Germany’s Volkswagen Group of America division established an “Electrify America” subsidiary to boost acceptance and sales of electric vehicles by installing a network of charging stations.

Based in Reston, Va., the program plans to spend $2 billion over the next 10 years on Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) infrastructure, education and access. “The investment will enable millions of Americans to discover the benefits of electric driving and support the build-out of a nationwide network of workplace, community and highway chargers that are convenient and reliable,” according to the company.

Electrify America “will tackle this challenge head on and intends to develop and deploy a national awareness and education campaign directed at car buyers not yet familiar with EVs.”

Company executives report that “we have already conducted a rigorous study categorizing all vehicle buyers into common ‘segments’ of wants, needs, and avoidance reasons surrounding going electric, as well as their preferred communication channels -- e.g., social media, television. Using this study, Electrify America is developing a marketing and public relations campaign that will feature advertising, social media, learn-and-drive events, and other brand neutral approaches to building EV awareness and consideration in the United States.”

Mike Moran, Electrify America’s head of communications, recently responded to a series of questions posed by Aftermarket Business World:

How many charging installations do you have in place in the U.S.?

Electrify America currently has more than 300 live stations in the U.S. with an additional 184 coming soon. These stations will have more than 2,000 ultra-fast chargers. Additionally, Electrify Canada recently opened its first public EV charging station in Toronto.

What are your installation goals going forward?

Electrify America expects to install or have under development approximately 800 total charging station sites with about 3,500 DC fast-chargers by December 2021. During this period, the company will be expanding to 29 metros and 45 states, including two cross-country routes.

Are your chargers compatible with all the EV models currently on the marketplace?

Electrify America stations offer CCS, CHAdeMO, and J1772 connectors. This means that almost every EV model on the road today can charge with us.

How do you assess the ratio in the U.S. of the availability of chargers vs. the amount of EVs on the road? Are each of the elements keeping pace with each other? Does this present a “chicken or egg” issue in terms of the amount charger installations vs. the amount of EV sales?

One of the ways we aim to meet our goal of increasing EV adoption is to build a robust network of fast-charging stations. Our hope is that by making charging faster and more accessible, we can help both current EV drivers and those considering purchasing an EV in the future -- perhaps through some of the newer models already being developed that can handle higher battery speeds.

Were you pleased with the reaction and response to your Sept. 14-22 National Drive Electric Week?

National Drive Electric Week is an important initiative for helping drive electric vehicle adoption, and this year we had the pleasure of sponsoring 10 ride and drive community events -- five in California and five across the rest of the U.S.

We were excited to see people in these local communities, and at the hundreds of other National Drive Electric Week affiliated events, come out and learn about EV benefits and even test out a vehicle. It’s a great step toward getting more consumers to consider making the switch to electric!

How do you assess the rate of EV adoption among American drivers?

We look at everything from the number of EVs manufacturers plan to put on the market, to EV sales and, of course, the number of charging stations being built to support these vehicles on the road.

Do you have initiatives in place to encourage more sales of EVs?

Electrify America is committed to driving EV awareness and adoption -- which would ultimately result in sales. To help achieve this, we recently launched a humorous, brand-neutral marketing campaign to help normalize EV ownership to the majority of Americans who are not aware of or have never considered switching to a zero-emission vehicle. The digital-only campaign, titled Normal Now, is part of a $42 million education and public awareness initiative to encourage ZEV adoption. More information is available at www.NormalNow.com

Do you have a single company that chooses the locations and installs the chargers? Or are there several firms – either regionally or locally – that oversee these elements? If so, what are the qualifications and requirements for a business that wishes to provide installation services?

The Electrify America team conducts an extensive review and analysis to determine select locations for charging stations. The company has design-and-build companies already onboard to install the charging stations.

How does the placement process work? Do you pay the site’s owner to host your chargers, or does the site pay you for the benefits of hosting the chargers?

We do not share information on confidential business agreements.

What are the requirements for a site to host a charger? Such as levels of population demographics, EV sales, passing-by traffic, power voltage needs, etc.?

We look at several factors when deciding where to put our charging stations. We focus on where EVs actually are or soon will be, meaning early-adopter cities and along major highways.

We consider if the site host has nearby amenities and activities, so drivers can conveniently complete daily tasks like grocery shopping, or so they can dine and enjoy entertainment options while their vehicle charges. We currently operate at several nationally known site hosts, including Target, Kroger, Save Mart, Walmart, Simon Malls and local restaurants.

With fast-charging capabilities becoming more common, is it possible for aftermarket businesses — such as a repair shop, parts store, etc. — to host a charging facility? Or are these mainly placed in locations where people are parked for a certain length of time?

While many of our DC fast-charging sites are placed in locations where people tend to spend more time, such as a grocery store or mall, we have recently announced the availability of our first Level 2 electric vehicle home charger, reinforcing our company's commitment to making EV ownership as convenient as possible for consumers. Therefore, we think it’s certainly possible for charging stations of various formats and speeds to expand into business and workplace settings.

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