Electrify America, an open DC fast-charging network, announced the opening of its first indoor flagship station available to the public on at 928 Harrison St. in San Francisco.
The station features 20 hyper-fast chargers providing up to 350 kilowatts (kW) in charging power. While waiting for their vehicles to charge, customers can make use of the dedicated temperature-controlled lounge areas with food and beverage vending options, complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi and restrooms.
“We're committed to making EVs accessible to all, particularly in dense urban areas like San Francisco,” said Robert Barrosa, president and CEO of Electrify America. “Our expertise in building over 250 stations in California and more than 900 in North America uniquely positions us to bring high-quality charging infrastructure directly into communities where people live and work and support EV adoption across the state.”
Located two blocks from the Bay Bridge, the station is tucked inside a building previously used as an auto shop and then a tour bus depot, reported CNET.
CNET reported that the company worked closely with local utility PG&E to develop the building's bespoke high-voltage power system, which is capable of sustaining a 3.5-megawatt draw from the grid when its stations are at full capacity.
The chargers are EA's newest generation 350-kilowatt load-balanced stations. That means each pair of posts shares up to a 350-kW max, which is balanced between the cars as necessary. With every stall charging as quickly as possible, that still works out to 150 kW each, which is more than enough bandwidth for most EVs on the road today.
The station is also designed to allay fears among potential EV buyers that charging stations are too scarce or that they will have no safe place to wait as their vehicles charge, reported Autoblog.
Electrify America's indoor station is intended to attract people who might be apprehensive about buying an EV, especially apartment dwellers in the nearby South Market neighborhood, Robert Barrosa, CEO of Electrify America told Autoblog.
“This is that big, indoor, premium experience that makes it enticing to say, ‘Hey, I can do this,’” Barrosa said. The San Fransico station will also have an attendant present around the clock for security and to handle waiting queues and answer questions.
Electrify America has outdoor flagship charging stations in Baker and Santa Clara, California, that have ten or more chargers. The station on Harrison Street is the first station in the Electrify America network to reflect its strategy to build larger stations to meet the growing demand of EV drivers.