Southern California's first EV charging center leaves 'no stone unturned'
"This is truly an EV driver gig worker's dream."
1008 E. 17th Street, Santa Ana. That's an address Southern California's electric vehicle drivers might want to remember.
EV charging infrastructure builder Rove has recently opened the doors of a 24/7 gas station-like EV charging center to the residents of Santa Ana and the surrounding community. Every day, the 40 chargers available will be able to power over 1,000 EVs, CBS News reported.
"Our team set out to create more than just a charging station," Rove head Bill Reid explained to CBS. "We designed a community destination, a place where our customers would feel at ease and supported."
And reviews on Google confirm so, with a 4.7-star average.
"This is truly an EV driver gig worker's dream," a customer wrote. "I bought a car wash, took advantage of the free vacuums, purchased breakfast and a Beanie Baby that now sits on my dash. … No more multiple stops that can be miles apart."
On Facebook, however, the center and its features — including a minimarket and a lounge — failed to win unanimous support.
"A lounge? Great! Have a few drinks then drive away," one user sarcastically commented on an ABC7 article.
🗣️ If you're thinking about buying an EV, which of these factors is most likely to convince you that it's a smart decision?
🔘 Seeing friends and family buy EVs 👯
🔘 Seeing first responders use EVs 🚒
🔘 Seeing businesses use EVs 🚕
🔘 Seeing celebrities drive EVs 🤩
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
Another said: "With high prices of electricity at these charging stations as opposed to charging at home, and overnight (no waiting around), sometimes an EV isn't saving much in the long run, and costing a lot of your time."
Charging at home, especially during off-peak times, is cheaper. But Reid told ABC7 prices will be competitive at "somewhere between 45 cents a kilowatt-hour to 65 cents a kilowatt-hour depending on time of day," which generally equates to around the same as gasoline prices per mile.
Between the cost of installing a charger at home and the relative lack of charging stations on the road compared to gas stations, charging issues are one of the main reasons why Americans are hesitant to move away from gas-powered cars, the BBC reported last year.
EVs can help curtail greenhouse gas pollution from transportation — the largest share of U.S. emissions in 2022 — and related air pollution, making their widespread adoption a priority as temperatures keep rising. And as California projects that 1 million public chargers must be built by the end of 2030 to meet the pace of EV purchases, Rove's charging centers fill a clear need.
"This small but mighty group truly thought of everything and left no stone unturned," Lucy Krasker, the firm's finance and strategy associate, said in a LinkedIn post. "Costa Mesa, see you soon!" she added; Rove plans to open a center there next year.
For more on the merits of electric vehicles, plus some tips for saving money and community discussions, check out the TCD Guide's page for buying an EV.
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