EV charging and energy management solutions provider Wallbox and COIL, an EV charging installation service and Wallbox subsidiary, have been awarded 25.6 million dollars from the state of Washington to install charging infrastructure in residential areas. The plan will be fulfilled in conjunction with partners Clean and Prosperous Institute and Adopt a Charger, which whom the companies secured proposed funds from the Washington Department of Commerce’s Electric Vehicle Charging Program.
The awards were announced as part of the Department’s first round of the program and will be used to deploy Wallbox’s latest AC Level 2 charger. As a result, the Pulsar Pro will be deployed across 148 multi-family housing properties throughout Washington. According to Wallbox, the “Pulsar Pro is equipped with RFID integration and ISO 15118 readiness, ensuring secure and future-ready charging capabilities”.
The infrastructure investment by the Northwestern US state was initially announced earlier this year, when Washington State Governor Jay Inslee revealed plans to spend over 85 million dollars to install around 5,000 charging stations across the state, with particular consideration given to “communities that face greater health risks due to pollution caused by fossil fuels.” This marks the first major allocation of said funds. A second round is expected to allocate “funding dedicated to supporting clean transportation, improving air quality, and ensuring EV charging access for all Washington drivers by addressing key gaps in the state’s light duty charging infrastructure, including multifamily housing, public parking, and fleet and workplace charging.”
“One of the most commonly cited concerns for prospective EV drivers is access to EV charging, especially for those who do not live in detached houses,” explained Erik Fogelberg, General Manager of Wallbox North America, adding: “Wallbox and the State of Washington have a shared commitment of ensuring that chargers are deployed across all use cases, including multifamily housing, to ensure that benefits of going electric are accessible to all.”
“We are excited that our Charging Forward Together program has been awarded funding for 1,375 charging ports to multifamily buildings across the state. Our partnership with Wallbox, COIL and Greystar links the public, non-profit and private sector into a strong force for the decarbonization of our transportation sector,” said Michael Mann, Executive Director of Clean and Prosperous Institute.
