Oakland Expands Electric Vehicle Charging Access
The city of Oakland has just opened another public EV charging station at 519 Lake Park Avenue in Oakland, CA. The new EVgo Inc. (NASDAQ: EVGO) fast charging station is located near Lake Merritt. The new station features six 200 kW fast chargers, capable of charging a vehicle up to 80% in 15–45 minutes, depending on the charging capacity of the vehicle.
The new EVgo station adds to the 235 existing public EV chargers in Oakland.
The placement of the new charging station helps fill the void for renters and apartment dwellers who own electric vehicles but have no zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) access. The surrounding neighborhoods of Lake Merritt have some of the highest densities of older apartment buildings in the Bay Area. So most do not have onsite electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) or cannot be equipped with EVSE.
“Since adopting the Equitable Climate Action Plan in 2020, Oakland has made critical strides in fighting the climate crisis while ensuring that the benefits of our actions go first and foremost to Oaklanders who need them most,” said Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf. “This convenient new ZEV site shows our commitment to ensuring that all Oaklanders – including renters – are part of this critical transition.”
Mayor Schaaf was joined by Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas, Shayna Hirshfield-Gold, Oakland’s Climate Program Manager, Arthur Bart-Williams from GRID Alternatives, and Sara Rafalson, EVgo’s Vice President of Market Development and Public Policy, to announce the opening of the new charging station.
“I am thrilled to see this new electric vehicle charging station open in my district, centrally located next to Splash Pad Park, our two thriving commercial corridors on Grand and Lakeshore, and Lake Merritt, the crown jewel of our city,” said Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas. “This addition will not only help residents nearby to conveniently charge their vehicles but will also improve our ability to expand access for all to surrounding amenities in the neighborhood while supporting the city’s goals of equitable and sustainable development.”
“Growing the number of people who drive EVs requires equitable distribution of public fast charging infrastructure,” said Sara Rafalson, EVgo’s Vice President of Market Development and Public Policy. “EVgo focuses on building stations in convenient locations such as near Lake Merritt where drivers can grab a bite to eat, walk through the park, or buy weekly groceries right off a major interstate while charging their EV. We look forward to deploying more charging infrastructure throughout the city of Oakland in order to support the transition to an all-electric future.”
Oakland has a plan to achieve a fully zero-emission vehicle transportation system by 2045. With the addition of the new EVgo station near Lake Merritt, the city of Oakland is that much closer to fulfilling its Zero Emission Vehicle Action Plan.
“The City’s Zero Emission Vehicle Action Plan puts equitable access front and center,” said Shayna Hirshfield-Gold, Oakland’s Climate Program Manager. “Installing public charging stations is a critical action we can take to address barriers to electric vehicle adoption.”
For more information about EVgo, visit www.evgo.com or view our EVgo archives.
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