CBRE, SemaConnect complete largest electric vehicle charging installation in the U.S.

CBRE and SemaConnect, a North American leader in Class A commercial electric vehicle charging (EVC) solutions, have completed the largest installation of 1,100 electric vehicle charging stations in 15 major U.S. metros, including 68 stations in Chicago. The installations were completed for Electrify America LLC.

Electrify America is investing $2 billion over a 10-year period in zero-emission vehicle infrastructure, education and access, including the purchase and installation of charging stations, and charging station maintenance for up to 10 years. Working with SemaConnect, CBRE’s project management business managed program planning, site selection, procurement, site preparation, landlord approvals, permitting, installation, activation and closeout at 46 workplace and 22 apartment buildings in Chicago.

“CBRE’s scale and expertise in project management, facility management and leasing proved invaluable for identifying viable properties and procuring electrical contractors within budget. The result was a streamlined site approval process,” said Mark Pastrone, COO, SemaConnect.

Electrify America provided level 2 charging solutions to workplace and apartment buildings at no cost. The properties own the EV charging stations for the remainder of their lifetime. Installations were completed in 15 U.S. metros: Boston, Chicago, Denver, Fresno, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle and Washington, D.C.

According to BloombergNEF’s 2019 Electric Vehicle Outlook, the U.S. saw an 86 percent increase in EV car sales in 2017-2018. By 2040, it’s expected that 57 percent of all passenger vehicle sales, and over 30 percent of the global passenger vehicle fleet, will be electric.

“Collaboration between SemaConnect and CBRE is helping real estate owners, managers and tenants understand their role in growing EV adoption across the U.S. by providing reliable and trusted charging infrastructure as a tenant amenity,” said Curt Grantham, Americas President of Project Management at CBRE. “Our turnkey delivery approach kept the program on schedule with no risk to Electrify America.”

The SemaConnect Network allows property managers to recoup energy costs through a credit-card payment system and provides control over who can use a station. It allows EV drivers to view station status on a map, manage their payment options, and to get mobile alerts when charging is complete. Finally, it allows SemaConnect Customer Service to monitor station health from their headquarters, send over-the-air software updates to existing stations, and quickly help drivers initiating a charge.