CAMPBELL, CALIF., Oct. 27, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ChargePoint will be honored by the United Nations this December during this year's Conference of the Parties (COP) 21 event in Paris. ChargePoint was selected as a Momentum for Change Lighthouse Activity for its transformational approach to tackling climate change. By giving drivers access to the largest network of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, ChargePoint facilitates the transition to EVs, which substantially reduce climate change causing emissions from driving.
ChargePoint is one of 16 companies from around the world, only two of which are from the United States, selected for creating a practical, scalable and replicable climate change solution.
ChargePoint 's award is for its Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-enabled network of EV charging stations, 25,000 all together. This year, with BMW and Volkswagen, ChargePoint has focused on creating express charging corridors to provide EV drivers access to DC fast chargers along the most heavily populated and highly trafficked regions on the east and west coasts of the United States. The fast chargers allow EV drivers to "gulp" energy when needed, similar to the way a traditional driver fuels his or her vehicle. Providing the flexibility to engage in this kind of EV charging eases the transition from fueling with gasoline to fueling with electricity.
"We are honored to be receiving this esteemed award," said Pasquale Romano, ChargePoint's CEO. "At a time when states and industries across the country are working to reduce carbon emissions, ChargePoint is proud to help create innovative strategies that are getting people out of gasoline-powered cars and into zero-emission vehicles. Given the already rapid trajectory of our EV charging infrastructure, the success of our business model, and the scalability of the Express Charging Corridors program, ChargePoint will continue to be one of the private sector leaders in combating climate change."
Across the United States of America, transportation is responsible for 30% of all greenhouse gas emissions and light-duty vehicles account for 50% of all transportation emissions. The more electric vehicles on the road, the fewer greenhouse gas emissions will be produced.
ChargePoint and the Express Charging Corridors give EV drivers the ability to chart a path of travel, and the Express DC Fast Charging stations within the Corridors enable drivers to refuel their vehicles in just 20 to 40 minutes – making it easier to support long-distance electric driving so that drivers can depend on an EV as their only car.
The Momentum for Change Award is an initiative spearheaded by the UN Climate Change Secretariat to recognize innovative and transformative solutions that address both climate change and wider economic, social and environmental challenges. The UN will be honoring ChargePoint at the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris, France, in December 2015.
More information about the Momentum for Change award can be found at www.chargepoint.com
About ChargePoint
ChargePoint is the largest and most open electric vehicle (EV) charging network in the world, with more than 25,000 charging locations. Ranked #1 by leading independent research firm, Navigant Research, ChargePoint makes advanced hardware and best-in-class cloud based software. ChargePoint's open network is utilized by many leading EV hardware makers and encourages all EV charging manufacturers to join.
ChargePoint's real-time network information including the availability of charging locations throughout the nation is available through the ChargePoint mobile app, online and via the navigation systems in top-selling EVs including the new BMW i3 and the Nissan LEAF. A driver connects to a ChargePoint station every 6 seconds and by initiating over 12 million charging sessions, ChargePoint drivers have saved 11 million gallons of gasoline, driven 260 million gas free miles and avoided 34 million kilograms of greenhouse gas emissions.
For more information about ChargePoint, visit www.chargepoint.com, www.facebook.com/chargepoint or follow us on Twitter @ChargePointnet.