Volkswagen Group of America launches website and opens comment period for National and California ZEV Investment Plans for the first 30-month investment cycle.
Volkswagen Group of America launches website and opens comment period for National and California ZEV Investment Plans for the first 30-month investment cycle.
VIA Volkswagen Group of America at https://www.electrifyamerica.com
Volkswagen Group of America will focus on three primary activities aimed at increasing usage of ZEV technology and showing more Americans that going electric is possible today:
1) Investing in electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure to increase availability of chargers, with construction starting in 2017. Our planned investments will focus on:
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Installing chargers locally in approximately 15 metro areas consisting of 300+ stations (L2 or DC Fast Chargers (50 to 150+ kW))
- Developing a high-speed, cross-country network consisting of 200+ stations (DC Fast Chargers)
Given the deployment versatility of EV chargers, locations could include:
- Multi-family homes (e.g., apartment complexes)
- Workplaces (e.g., office parks)
- Retail (e.g., stores, malls, restaurants, hotels, refueling stations)
- Communities (e.g., municipal parking lots, street parking spots)
Initially, we plan to focus on charger installation in metro areas that could benefit from increased charging infrastructure (e.g., densely populated) and highly trafficked cross-country highways.
2) Increasing awareness and fostering education about EVs, charging availability, and the benefits of electric mobility through various means such as ride and drives, multi-channel advertising, website, social media, and educational programs.
3) Launching a Green City initiative in a yet-to-be-named California municipality to pilot future concepts of sustainable mobility, such as a ZEV-based shuttle service, EV-based car-sharing program, or ZEV transit application.
Volkswagen Group of America will accomplish its mission in four 30-month investment cycles, with planning for the first cycle underway. We welcome input and proposals, but caution that some submissions might not fit within the scope of our initiatives for the first 30-month investment cycle. Other promising ZEV initiatives, such as hydrogen fueling stations or national ZEV car-sharing or ZEV ride-sharing services, will be considered in later investment cycles.
