SacRT, GiddyUp EV Charging, SMUD unveil new high-speed electric vehicle public charging hub

The Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) along with GiddyUp EV Charging, Inc., and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) unveiled a new high-speed electric vehicle public charging hub at the Power Inn light- rail station.

The public-private partnership offers a state-of-the-art charging solution for Sacramento’s emerging electric vehicle market, aimed to meet the region and state’s sustainability goals and provide a revenue sharing model for SacRT.

The Charging Hub is a large-scale network of Level 3 charging stations that provides the ability to charge both passenger and commercial vehicles simultaneously and dramatically faster than the Level 2 chargers found in many public charging stations. The new Charging Hub occupies 20 underutilized parking spots in the Power Inn light- rail station. The Charging Hub will serve everyday drivers and commercial fleets alike, with several spots designed to accommodate large fleet vehicles such as buses and semi-trucks.

SMUD estimates there will be nearly 1 million electric vehicles in the region by 2040.

“California continues to lead the nation in setting big, bold climate goals and building the clean energy infrastructure required to make the transition from fossil fuels,” said California State Treasurer Fiona Ma. “Projects in local communities, like the Power Inn station charging hub, make electric vehicle adoption more attractive and charging more convenient for existing owners. It’s projects like this that help California solidify its position as the country’s leader in zero emissions vehicle integration into our way of life.”

As a member of the State Assembly in 2011, Ma authored AB 631 which placed into law a California Public Utilities Commission decision not to regulate EV charging stations as utilities.

“This public private partnership is delivering state of the art charging solutions to help us meet the region and state’s sustainability goals while providing revenue sharing for SacRT. Offering a mobility hub for multiple transportation modes at our light-rail stations is an excellent way to connect riders and enhance our stations,” said SacRT General Manager and CEO Henry Li.

“It’s projects and partnerships like this that will increase EV deployment and help us expedite the transition to a carbon free economy,” said SMUD General Manager and CEO Paul Lau. “Locating a fast-charging hub along a major thoroughfare helps increase access to varied forms of clean transportation. At SMUD, we are partnering with our customers and community to bring electrification to under resourced communities and this hub provides a bridge to get there.”

“If we’re serious about solving the EV charging infrastructure crisis, especially in underserved communities, we must get away from the idea that public EV charging is only for specific types of vehicles and slow charging. Public private partnerships like the SacRT Power Inn Station are the logical way to bring fast charging options to all community stakeholders at no cost to taxpayers,” said GiddyUp EV Charging Founder and CEO Chris Jerome. “Hopefully, GiddyUp’s Power Inn partnership with SacRT inspires other communities to adopt the policy that fast charging has to be available for everyone.”

GiddyUp EV Charging is financing the purchase and installation of some of the fastest DCFC/Level 3 chargers in the industry, which will have the ability to recharge light and medium vehicles simultaneously in minutes compared to Level 2 chargers that may take hours. The Charging Hub is brightly lit and offers customers a high-tech security system using high-definition video cameras and real-time monitoring.