VW's Electrify America Plots Second Batch of EV Charging Stations, Plug-in Propaganda

Volkswagen’s court-mandated subsidiary, Electrify America, has announced its second investment of $200 million into the nation’s electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and not a moment too soon. Plug-in car sales in the United States have already surpassed last year’s record of nearly 200,000 deliveries, thanks to Tesla’s rollout of the Model 3, and we’ve still got three months left to go.

Of course, it wouldn’t really matter if EV sales tanked in 2018 because VW is legally obliged to do this. There could have been a single, lonesome plug-in sale this year and Electrify America would still have to spend the same amount — as per its parent company’s agreement with the U.S. government. This time around, the goal is to improve charging infrastructure between cities while not ignoring major metropolitan areas. Cycle 2 will also focus primarily on California for the next 30 months, which is probably for the best. The state accounts for over half the country’s yearly EV sales.

“In developing our plan, we conducted a robust outreach process to solicit input and met with leaders in California communities, government and business to inform our decisions,” said Giovanni Palazzo, president and chief executive officer of Electrify America. “Our goal to establish one of the largest, most technologically advanced and customer-friendly charging networks in the U.S. remains. We want to demystify what it means to own and drive electric vehicles by making chargers more visible, more convenient, and more a part of the everyday lives of Californians across the state.”

That demystification comes via the firm’s education and awareness program, which serves to inform the citizenry about how electric vehicles function. However, there’s also a bit of propaganda thrown in there, as one of the campaign’s stated goals is “to help drive ZEV adoption.” But the brunt of Cycle 2 involves charging hardware.

Volkswagen will continue using the bulk of its money on further improving California’s network of fast charging stations. This will include building new sites connecting regional destinations, such as supporting EV travel to the Sierra Nevada communities and isolated destinations like Arizona’s Lake Havasu. There will also be more points built near major metropolitan areas along the coast and at specific high-volume bus depots.

The automaker plans to promote residential charging through an online tool that connects EV buyers with a range of home charging incentives and rebates already available in California. This will be tied into the California Air Resources Board’s “ One-Stop-Shop Pilot Project,” which is designed to inform low-income residents about clean transportation and mobility options and help nudge them toward purchasing a zero-emission vehicle via the board’s Low Carbon Transportation Equity Project. Those programs include everything from extending additional EV rebates to financial assistance packages for low-income and disadvantaged communities.

By extension, Electrify America will offer “no-money-down” residential chargers and installation, enabling buyers “who cannot or choose not to pay for charger installation at home.” The cost of installation will be incorporated into an adjustable monthly fee.

Additional Cycle 2 plans involve collaborating with transit operators to provide charging infrastructure at bus depots and layover points. This approach offers another means of serving disadvantaged and low-income populations who rely on public transportation, which was one of California’s big gripes with VW’s initial settlement. It didn’t want the automaker to turn its penance into profit and demanded it take a more active role in helping poorer communities gain access to EVs and charging. That ought to keep them busy too, as California has one of the highest rates of income inequality in the union.

Of course, this is another drop in Volkswagen’s $2 billion EPA settlement bucket. California is slated to receive $800 million of the settlement and be privy to most of Electrify America’s earlier plans. The rest of the settlement will go to remaining states.

[Image: Volkswagen Group]