Electric vehicle charging stations that are free for the public’s use have been installed near the Richmond BART station.
The stations are located in front of CoBiz Richmond, the new coworking space and business incubator at 1503 Macdonald Ave., and the Richmond Food Hall.
A partnership between the City of Richmond and Volta Charging is providing free use of the stations at no cost to taxpayers. Volta’s stations offer space for advertising while providing free charging to drivers.
“Available infrastructure is a critical factor in the shift towards electrifying transportation and we are eager to equip the Richmond community with utilities that support this shift, beginning with free public electric vehicle chargers at the local BART station,” said Richmond Mayor Tom Butt.
Volta’s new stations are a welcome addition for CoBiz, a 9,000 square foot, technologically-equipped space that is working to bring Silicon Valley-style networking and access to entrepreneurs, businesses and nonprofits in Richmond. CoBiz is a project of the Chevron Richmond Refinery’s eQuip Richmond initiative, a multi-year $10 million investment that funds strategies to bolster communities in Richmond and North Richmond.
Adding EV infrastructure downtown enables Richmond residents to consider purchasing a electric vehicle, said Wesley Alexander, CEO of CoBiz.
“I am excited to see the EV chargers because customers and tourists who frequent downtown Richmond as well as residents have access to a resource that is common in other commercial districts,” Alexander said. “That is progress.”
Alexander and Volta credited Denée Evans, the City of Richmond Transportation Services Project Manager, for securing the new Volta stations.
“Volta is dedicated to making electric vehicle charging more accessible, and we applaud the City of Richmond’s Transportation Services Division for taking the initiative to provide free and convenient stations to its community,” said Scott Mercer, Founder and CEO of Volta. “The additional measure of providing the infrastructure without using taxpayer dollars highlights Richmond’s innovative approach to a cleaner, electrified future and we look forward to giving its residents the experience of free charging.”
