Palo Alto, CA, Sept. 30, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PARC, a Xerox company, today announced its workplace charging station implementation consisting of eight stations installed with the backbone to support 24 total stations as future needs arise. The workplace charging stations will be used for free by PARC employees, providing incentive for employees to drive electric cars to work.
"Three hours after we opened all eight of the Level One chargers, I was thrilled to see every stall in use and a ninth EV driver approached asking where he could plug in," said Mike Hornbuckle, Senior Facilities Engineer, PARC. "Good thing we planned ahead and put in infrastructure for more, and they will be ready to use the first quarter of next year."
PARC started this innovative project by polling its 200+ employees to get an understanding of its current and future EV needs. The EV charging infrastructure allows for the installation of up to eight Level Two chargers and up to 16 Level One chargers. Taking an overall approach to sustainability, PARC also offers monetary incentives for employees who bike, walk/run, vanpool, carpool, or take public transportation, to help improve air quality, reduce energy consumption, and relieve traffic congestion.
When PARC started its workplace charging installation last year, there were two EV drivers. There are now 14 EV drivers, a number that has been growing at a rate of approximately two per month.
Randy Paquette, a PARC employee who recently purchased an EV, said, "I actually bought my car as a result of our charging program, knowing I can count on having charge time while at work. I hope other companies start to provide these services for employees too. I think it's a nice perk to attract sustainability-minded people to work for them."
"I was pleased to facilitate PARC's understanding of the market dynamics associated with EV workplace charging solutions and help them select and design a system that is best-suited for their employees," said John Kalb, founder of EV Charging Pros and a consultant to PARC on this project. "The decision to install scalable infrastructure and to incorporate a significant number of Level One charging stations demonstrates the vision that PARC has been known for."
About PARC
PARC, a Xerox company, is in the Business of Breakthroughs®.
Practicing open innovation, we provide custom R&D services,
technology, expertise, best practices, and intellectual property to
Fortune 500 and Global 1000 companies, startups, and government
agencies and partners. We create new business options, accelerate
time to market, augment internal capabilities, and reduce risk for
our clients. Since its inception, PARC has pioneered many
technology platforms - from the Ethernet and laser printing to the
GUI and ubiquitous computing - and has enabled the creation of many
industries. Incorporated as an independent, wholly owned subsidiary
of Xerox in 2002, PARC today continues the research that enables
breakthroughs for our clients' businesses. Learn more at
www.parc.com.