City of Lancaster, CA Partners with ebee Smart Technologies to Launch BLVD Streetlight Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

Today marks the launch of the City of Lancaster’s BLVD Streetlight Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging demonstration, a cutting-edge project which seamlessly integrates EV chargers into five streetlights along the City’s popular central downtown destination, The BLVD. These charging units are made by ebee Smart Technologies, whose innovative controller technology makes installing public and semi-public charging cheaper, faster, and more flexible by incorporating charging units into existing infrastructure, such as streetlights. Already a market leader in Europe, with approximately 10,000 controllers installed in EV charging units throughout the European Union (EU), ebee Smart Technologies holds a key to accelerating advanced clean transportation in California, as well as internationally.

“We bring knowledge from decades in the international automotive industry and have applied it to make installing state-of-the-art EV charging technology simpler and more cost-effective for cities and workplaces,” said ebee Smart Technology CEO Dr. Henning Heppner, who traveled from Berlin, Germany for the ceremony. “We’re excited to bring our solutions to North America and to partner with the City of Lancaster on realizing their vision for a more sustainable community.”

Lancaster’s BLVD Streetlight EV Charging demonstration project is a collaboration engaging local and regional government with private enterprise. A grant from the Antelope Valley Air Quality Management District (AVAQMD) will cover 80% of the total project cost, which includes installation, operations and maintenance, as well as five years of data collection. The remaining 20% will be covered by private sponsors, which include ebee Smart Technologies’ partners, EasyCharge and eluminocity, the company which created the outer housing of the charging units.

The project host is the City of Lancaster, CA – a natural home for this zero emissions transportation infrastructure demonstration, given the City’s strong and far-reaching commitment to advancing clean energy solutions.

“The City of Lancaster’s sustainability platform thrives on integrating new technologies – that are not only leading the way for sustainable industry advancement, but also offering affordable options, such as these charging units which can be utilized by nearly any infrastructure base for the benefit of many. Our goal is to not only better our environment, but to increase the overall quality of life for our residents,” said Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris. “I am continuously astonished by all of the wonderful ideas coming to fruition and making ‘greener’ living tangible for communities around the globe. There are no more excuses for not transitioning to clean energy resources.”

“As municipal leaders, we understand and embrace the value of public-private partnerships, both domestically and abroad,” concluded Mayor Parris. “The City of Lancaster is at the forefront of alternative energy developments because of our commitment to progress through innovation and collaboration. This is evidenced by our many successes with companies such as BYD and KB Home. We could not be more excited about this new venture with ebee Smart Technologies, and are looking forward to the ongoing deployment of EV charging stations throughout our City.”