Northern California’s largest non-Tesla fast charging hub is now online

Not-for-profit public power provider Ava Community Energy just brought its first EV fast-charging station online in downtown Oakland, California, and it’s a big one.

The new site features 18 Kempower DC fast chargers, making it the largest non-Tesla fast-charging hub in Northern California. The majority of the plugs are CCS, with a few NACS and one ChAdeMO plug. It’s near workplaces, housing, and close to the freeway for commuters.

The station is inside Oakland City Center West Garage, right in one of the region’s busiest urban neighborhoods. Nearly half of Alameda County’s residents are renters, so public fast charging is an essential service for EV drivers who can’t plug in at home. Ava says this is the first step in building a network of up to 15 stations focused on expanding equitable access to EV charging.

The new charging hub also lines up with Oakland’s 2030 Equitable Climate Action Plan, which puts frontline communities at the center of the city’s climate strategy. A big part of that plan is giving residents the infrastructure they need to switch to EVs, and supporting current EV drivers with stations that are reliable, accessible, and community-focused.

“Our goal is to expand access to clean, sustainable energy in large and small ways through increased usage of solar systems, more electric transportation via cars and electric bikes, which reduces tailpipe emissions, improving how people cook at home, and even how we heat our homes and water,” said Howard Chang, Ava Community Energy CEO. “Ava Charge is just one step in our overall goal to make the transition to carbon-free energy easier for all.”

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Ava partnered with San Francisco-based EV Realty to bring the project to life. EV Realty handled engineering, procurement, and construction, and will run and maintain the site.

Read more: Wallbox pushes new wave of EV chargers across the Mountain West

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