Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Coming to I-5 and US 2 in Next Six
Months
OLYMPIA, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Within six months, drivers will be recharging their electric vehicles,
like the Nissan LEAF and Chevrolet Volt, along Washington's Electric
Highways.
The Washington State Department of Transportation selected Monrovia, Calif.-based AeroVironment to transform Interstate 5 and US 2 into the premier interstate of the 21st century, serving the latest generation of electric cars. AeroVironment will install and operate a network of nine fast-charging stations, pictured here, located every 40 to 60 miles along stretches of I-5 between the Canadian border and Everett and between Olympia and the Oregon border, as
well as along US 2 between Everett and Leavenworth. Photo, AeroVironment, handout.
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) selected
Monrovia, Calif.-based AeroVironment
(NASDAQ: AVAV) to transform Interstate 5 and US 2 into the premier
interstates of the 21st century, serving the latest
generation of electric cars.
AeroVironment rose to the top during a competitive contract award
process in which six companies submitted proposals to electrify I-5 and
US 2 on a budget of $1 million.
AeroVironment will manufacture, supply, install and operate a network of
nine fast-charging
stations for electric vehicles. Stations will be located every 40 to
60 miles along stretches of I-5 between the Canadian border and Everett
and between Olympia and the Oregon border, as well as along US 2 between
Everett and Leavenworth.
"A network of charging stations linking Washington to Oregon and Canada
will make electric vehicles more attractive to consumers and businesses,
and transportation better for the environment," said Paula Hammond,
Washington secretary of transportation. She said AeroVironment provides
the technology needed for efficient and sustainable transportation, a
green economy and new jobs in a growing field.
The fast-charging stations will be operational by Nov. 30, and will
power an electric vehicle from zero to fully charged in less than 30
minutes. Each station also will include a Level 2 "medium-speed"
charging station, which will cost less for users and take up to four to
six hours for a full charge. The stations will be located at private
retail locations such as shopping malls, fueling stations and travel
centers with easy access to the highway.
In the area between Everett and Olympia, additional charging stations
will be installed through a federal program, The
EV Project, administrated by the U.S. Department of Energy.
Combined, the two projects will connect Washington drivers along the
entire 276 miles of I-5 between Canada and Oregon.
"As the leading hydroelectric power producer in the United States,
Washington state is ideally suited to support emissions-free electric
vehicles," said Mike Bissonette, AeroVironment's senior vice president
and general manager of Efficient Energy Systems. "Electrifying I-5 is
not just a vision about a cleaner future, it's about American jobs and
building the economy today. We're working with Washington to turn that
vision into reality."
While AeroVironment helps power the electric-vehicle charging network in
Washington, the company will simultaneously electrify I-5 in Oregon
through a similar project managed by the Oregon
Department of Transportation. Both states' projects will complement The
EV Project, which will install thousands of home and public
electric-vehicle charging stations in six states, including Washington,
Oregon and California.
Washington's electric-highway infrastructure is a key component of a
future West
Coast Green Highway. When complete, it will extend a seamless
network of recharging stations along all 1,350 miles of I-5 from Canada
to Mexico, serving more than 2 million electric vehicles that market
analysts say will be sold in Washington, Oregon and California in the
next decade.
About WSDOT
WSDOT keeps people, businesses and the economy moving by operating and
improving the state's transportation systems. To learn more about what
we're doing, go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/news/
for pictures, videos, news and blogs. Real time traffic information is
available at http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic
or by dialing 5-1-1.
About AeroVironment, Inc.
AeroVironment is a technology solutions provider that designs, develops,
produces and supports an advanced portfolio of electric transportation
solutions and electric-powered Unmanned
Aircraft Systems (UAS). AeroVironment's comprehensive EV
charging solutions include EV home charging, public charging, fast
charging, data collection, grid-integrated communications and complete
installation, training and support services for consumers, automakers,
utilities, government agencies and businesses. AeroVironment's
industrial electric vehicle charging systems support thousands of
electric materials handling vehicles in mission-critical supply chains
for Fortune 500 enterprises. AeroVironment's power
cycling and test systems provide EV developers and EV battery
manufacturers with market-leading simulation and cycling capabilities.
Agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense and allied military services
use the company's electric-powered, hand-launched
unmanned aircraft systems to provide situational awareness to
tactical operating units through real-time, airborne reconnaissance,
surveillance and communication. More information is available at www.avinc.com
and www.evsolutions.com.
Additional AeroVironment News: http://avinc.com/resources/news/
AeroVironment
Media Gallery: http://avinc.com/media_gallery/ev_charging/
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WSDOT Public Private Partnerships
Jeff
Doyle, 360-705-7039
or
WSDOT Communications
Tonia
Buell, 360-705-7439
or
AeroVironment, Inc.
Steve
Gitlin, 626-357-9983
or
For AeroVironment, Inc.
Deborah
Rapoport, 310-482-4276
Source: AeroVironment
News Provided by Acquire Media
