WALNUT CREEK, CA - Sequoia Equities, Inc., a leader in multifamily investment management, and NRG eVgo SM, a wholly owned subsidiary of NRG Energy, Inc., are partnering to provide electric vehicle (EV) charging to 28 apartment communities across California.
California accounts for one-third of all electric vehicle sales in the nation and, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately 11.7 million Californians live in apartment communities where EV charging options are a limited amenity. Knowing that EV charging can significantly impact a consumer’s choice of place to live, Sequoia has selected eVgo and their Ready for Electric Vehicle (REV) program, a charging solution specifically intended to meet the needs of multifamily properties, to deliver a dedicated charging option to residents. Each eVgo charger is assigned to a single driver for their personal use on their schedule to eliminate the inconvenience that occurs when multiple residents want to charge at the same time on a shared charger. The chargers are 240-volt Level 2 supporting the industry standard J1772 universal EV connector and deliver range at a rate of 12 – 25 miles per hour.
“NRG eVgo is proud to partner with Sequoia to bring easy, reliable and affordable EV charging to residents in these multifamily properties across California,” said Terry O’Day, vice president of business development for NRG eVgo in California. “The NRG eVgo Ready for Electric Vehicle program makes it easy for residents living in apartment communities to choose to drive an EV while eliminating operating costs, management and maintenance burdens for the property owner.”
Through the REV program, eVgo provides the charging equipment at no cost to an apartment property, handles everything from the initial site assessments to ongoing management and maintenance of the provided chargers, reimburses electricity consumed and provides affordable, easy to understand charging plans with 24 hour customer support to community residents. In addition, eVgo supplies REV-certified marketing materials, including the Ready for EV registered mark, for property management to promote the availability of the amenity to existing residents as well as to attract future tenants and EV drivers.
“Announcing the installation of electric car charging stations at 28 of our multifamily properties reinforces Sequoia’s dedication to sustainability while also providing our residents with cutting-edge amenities, service and convenience,” said Cynthia M. McSherry, Senior-Vice President Sequoia Equities Inc. “We saw the NRG eVgo Ready for EV program as way to address a need for current and future residents who choose to drive an electric car, while at the same time appealing to the cleantech movement that continues to grow in California.”
Headquartered in Walnut Creek, California, Sequoia specializes in property management administration of all multifamily types ranging from suburban garden-style, to urban high-rise, and college student housing. Their portfolio consists of more than 12,000 units and extends across four states on the West Coast.
The installation of EV charging at 28 Sequoia properties in California aligns with the state’s goal of 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles on its roadways by 2025. In addition, the availability of EV charging stations at multifamily communities makes electric car ownership and charging as easy for apartment residents as charging in the garage of a single family home. eVgo is building electric vehicle charging networks across the San Francisco Bay Area, San Joaquin Valley, Los Angeles Basin and San Diego Area. As the network is established, EV drivers will have access to hundreds of public fast-charging Freedom Station ® sites along with Level 2 charging stations at homes, offices, multi-family communities, schools and hospitals.