REDMOND, Wash. and MIAMI BEACH, Fla., June 24, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Car Charging Group, Inc. (OTCBB:CCGI), an electric vehicle charging service provider and Equity Residential, one of the nation's leading owners, developers and operators of high-quality apartment properties, recently held a "plug-in" ceremony to unveil an EV charging station at its downtown Redmond, Wash., apartment community, Red160, located at 16015 Cleveland St.
"Experts say that 80 percent of electric vehicle charging will be done at home. Recognizing that, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, 33 percent of Americans rent and often don't have access to private garages, forward-thinking apartment developers such as Equity Residential are installing car charging stations to increase the number of Washington state residents who can participate in the EV revolution," said Michael D. Farkas, CEO of Car Charging Group.
Car Charging Group, the EV charging system owner and provider, and Equity Residential, the Red160 developer, demonstrated an EV charging session with an all-electric Wheego LiFe, which was provided by Seattle, Wash.-based MC Electric Vehicles and with an all-electric Nissan Leaf, which was provided by Charge Northwest. After the charging demonstration, the electric vehicle providers offered event-goers an opportunity to test drive EVs.
"We are proud to be the first in Redmond to provide this modern, environmentally friendly amenity to our residential community," said Karen Caplan, Vice President of Property Management at Equity Residential. "With the advent of the new generation of electric cars, it is increasingly important to provide a charging infrastructure for apartment residents who share a common garage. Red160 is the perfect location to launch this program."
Car Charging Group installed a Level II ChargePoint® Networked Charging Station, manufactured by Coulomb Technologies in the parking garage adjacent to the Red160 main lobby. The garage is open to residents as well as the public. Car Charging Group has already installed units for Equity Residential in Boston, Mass.; Seattle, Wash.; and Washington, D.C.; and will install and maintain EV charging stations in four additional Equity Residential locations, including Coral Gables and Deerfield Beach, Fla., and Los Angeles and San Diego, Calif.
About Red160
Located in Downtown Redmond, Wash., Equity Residential's (NYSE:EQR) Red160 is the area's first smoke-free new apartment community. It is located minutes from Microsoft's main campus, AT&T and Nintendo, and offers easy access to State Roads-520 and Interstate 405. The spacious Seattle apartments feature high ceilings, in-home washer/dryers, EnergyStar® stainless steel appliances and private balconies. Red160 residents can enjoy a resident lounge, scenic outdoor courtyards, a fitness center, a wireless Internet café and the nearby River Trail. Red160 is pet-friendly and offers a pet grooming area. The development's website can be viewed at www.red160apartments.com.
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About Car Charging Group, Inc.
Car Charging Group, Inc. is an owner and provider of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations with the mission to build-out a nationwide infrastructure, enabling EV and PHEV owners to charge their EVs anytime, anywhere. As part of its strategy, the Company owns, provides, installs and maintains electric vehicle charging units and works with its landowner partners to identify appropriate locations for its charging stations. The Company provides convenient, safe and affordable charging stations away from home in customer-friendly public locations, including municipalities, shopping malls, parking garages, multi-family residential and commercial properties.
An estimated 40 million plug-in electric vehicles, such as the Nissan LEAF, GM Chevrolet Volt, Fisker Karma, Tesla Model S, Ford Focus EV as well as many others, are expected to be on the road by 2030. Car Charging Group recognizes the need to establish a comprehensive network of charging stations that delivers easy, convenient access to drivers wherever they live, work and play. By investing at the forefront of the electric car revolution, Car Charging Group seeks to become the leading provider of electric car charging services. The Company launched its operations nationally in September of 2009 and is looking to expand its operations internationally.
Car Charging Group, Inc. is based in Miami, Fla. The company's website can be viewed at www.CarCharging.com.
The Car Charging Group, Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=9900
About Coulomb Technologies, Inc.
Coulomb Technologies is the leader in electric vehicle charging solutions, with charging systems and application services delivered by the ChargePoint Network. The ChargePoint Network provides multiple web-based portals for Hosts, Fleet Managers, Drivers, and Utilities. The open-system driver network went live in January 2009 and now operates in 14 countries with Network Operations Centers in the U.S., UK, and Hong Kong. Coulomb's ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations range from 120 to 240 VAC charging up to 500 Volt DC fast charging with nearly 4000 stations shipped worldwide. For more information go to: www.coulombtech.com. Follow Coulomb on Twitter: twitter.com/coulombevi. Download the ChargePoint iPhone App. Download the ChargePoint Blackberry App.