NEW HYDE PARK, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kimco Realty Corp. (NYSE:KIM), owner and operator of the nation’s largest shopping center portfolio, and NRG eVgo (ee-vee-go) are pleased to announce the opening of the Bay Area’s first Freedom Station® at Westlake Shopping Center in Daly City, Calif. The eVgo Freedom Station at Westlake offers electric vehicle (EV) owners both rapid and traditional EV charging, and is one of seven eVgo Freedom Station sites planned at Kimco retail centers in California this year. eVgo Freedom Station sites include 480-volt “DC Fast Chargers” and standard 240-volt “Level 2” chargers compatible with any electric vehicle with a plug.
“We’re thrilled to have our first NRG eVgo Freedom Station up and running at Westlake,” said David Jamieson, Kimco’s vice president of leasing and asset management. “Californians drive more than one-third of the electric vehicles in the country, so building a network of quick-charge stations at Kimco centers, which are easily accessible by commuters, is a valued amenity to our customers and retailers.”
“This NRG eVgo Freedom Station is an example of Kimco’s dedication to sustainability and will enable drivers of zero and low emission vehicles to use no or little gasoline while working, shopping or socializing at Westlake Shopping Center,” said Terry O’Day, director of business development for NRG eVgo in California. “Unveiling this first of seven NRG eVgo Freedom Station sites with Kimco is an important milestone in making electric vehicles more convenient for the citizens of Daly City, the Bay Area and the state of California.”
The 686,000-square-foot Westlake Shopping Center is located at 402 Westlake Center at the corner of John Daly Boulevard and Lake Merced Boulevard in Daly City, Calif. The eVgo Freedom Station is situated on the first floor of Westlake Shopping Center’s parking garage adjacent to The Home Depot.
The Westlake site offers the Bay Area’s first eVgo DC Fast Charger, which can provide up to an 80 percent charge in about 30 minutes, and has been designed to easily incorporate a second DC Fast Charger. The station also offers a Level 2 charger, which can provide up to 24 miles of range per hour of charge.
Will Teichman, Kimco’s director of sustainability, commented, “The NRG eVgo Freedom Station at Westlake is a significant example of Kimco’s commitment to operate in an environmentally mindful way, and is one of several enhancements we’ve made at the center. We’ve installed energy-efficient lighting in the common areas, and added a state-of-the-art energy management system to monitor and control usage.”
The seven eVgo Freedom Station sites planned at Kimco’s California centers align with the state’s goal of 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles on California’s roadways by 2025. eVgo is building electric vehicle charging networks across the San Francisco Bay Area, San Joaquin Valley, Los Angeles Basin and San Diego area. As more Freedom Station sites are built and the network established, EV drivers will have access to hundreds of public fast-charging sites along with Level 2 charging stations at homes, offices, multi-family communities, schools and hospitals.
About Kimco
Kimco Realty Corp. (NYSE: KIM) is a real estate investment trust (REIT) headquartered in New Hyde Park, N.Y., that owns and operates North America’s largest portfolio of neighborhood and community shopping centers. As of June 30, 2013, the company owned interests in 874 shopping centers comprising 128 million square feet of leasable space across 43 states, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico and South America. Publicly traded on the NYSE since 1991, and included in the S&P 500 Index, the company has specialized in shopping center acquisition, development and management for more than 50 years. For further information, please visit www.kimcorealty.com, the company’s blog at blog.kimcorealty.com, or follow Kimco on Twitter at www.twitter.com/kimcorealty.
About NRG eVgo
The NRG eVgo network gives EV owners new freedom and range confidence via home charging and fast charging stations conveniently located at major retailers along highways across eVgo cities. Service plans offered by eVgo allow EV owners to avoid paying large up-front costs for a home or work charger and provide unlimited use of the eVgo network of Freedom Station® sites —all for one low monthly fee. eVgo is a wholly owned subsidiary of NRG Energy, Inc., a Fortune 500 company at the forefront of changing how people think about and use energy. NRG’s investment in EV charging infrastructure will provide EV drivers with access to hundreds of public fast-charging Freedom Station sites along with level 2 charging stations at homes, offices, multi-family communities, schools and hospitals across California, Texas and the greater Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. To find out more, or to join the eVgo network, visit www.eVgoNetwork.com. Connect with eVgo on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @evgonetwork.
