ECOtality Electrifies Seattle with Blink Commercial Charging Stations

June 9, 2011: ECOTALITY ELECTRIFIES SEATTLE WITH BLINK® COMMERCIAL CHARGING STATIONS

EV drivers able to charge up with Blink at Qwest Field

ECOtality, Inc. , a leader in clean electric transportation and storage technologies, today celebrated the installation of the company’s Blink® Pedestal charging stations at Qwest Field Stadium, in Seattle. Politicians, local stakeholders, EV drivers and ECOtality executives will gather outside the stadium to commemorate publicly available charging stations in the Puget Sound region as of The EV Project. Qwest Field will host four Blink Pedestal charging stations in the North Lot and 2 Wall Mount chargers in the Event Center garage.

“Charging stations like the one at Qwest Field represent our first step toward a greener, cleaner transportation future. In the not too distant future, Federal investments in public-private projects like this will return immense rewards and really revolutionize the cars we drive and what fuels them. It’s appropriate that some of the first charging stations in the nation are here in Seattle - we're a city of innovation and have a track record of embracing the future,” said US Congressman Jim McDermott.

Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn fully supports the development of electric vehicle infrastructure in Seattle and said, “Electrification of our transportation is a very promising opportunity for reducing the carbon impact of our city. It makes economic sense and is good for the environment.”

ECOtality began installations of its Blink Level 2 Residential Charging Stations in EV Project regions nationwide in December 2010, and since then has completed more than 1,200 installations. The company recently began installation of Blink Pedestal chargers in commercial and publically accessible locations over the past few weeks, and held celebration events earlier this week in Arizona and Oregon. As part of The EV Project, ECOtality aims to have all public and commercial charging stations installed, including approximately 1,000 units in Washington State, by the end of the year.

“ECOtality is well underway with our rollout of electric vehicle infrastructure, and we are committed to building the public and commercial charging infrastructure that extends the range of EVs beyond the garage,” said Jonathan Read, CEO of ECOtality. “EV drivers throughout the Seattle metro area and the state of Washington can expect to see more Blink charging stations at convenient locations in the coming months. Together with our EV Project partners we are creating the infrastructure needed to make the Puget Sound region a genesis for EV adoption. Now, Seahawks and Sounders fans can plug in their EVs as they’re watching the games.”

"The downtown location and accessibility of Qwest Field make it an ideal venue to install the electric vehicle charging stations," said Peter McLoughlin, president of the Seahawks, Sounders FC and First and Goal, Inc. "We are thrilled to participate in this important study to evaluate the long-term deployment and viability of clean energy transportation."

Locations for the commercial charging stations were selected using ECOtality’s Micro-Climate planning process, which took into account a variety of factors including traffic patterns and the locations of employment centers, regional attractions and retail hubs, as well as the input from more than 10 regional partners.

“Seattle City Light supports the use of electric vehicles as an opportunity to significantly reduce the impact of transportation on our environment and climate,” said Jorge Carrasco, Seattle City Light Superintendent. “The infrastructure we are putting in place today will pave the way for providing the power to drive that cleaner transportation future.”

McKinstry, a full-service, design-build-operate-and-maintain (DBOM) firm specializing in consulting, construction, energy and facility services, installed the Blink charging stations. The company also designed and installed Qwest Field’s solar system, low-flow water fixtures and high-efficiency lighting systems.

“With McKinstry’s installation of the EV charging stations, in combination with recent energy efficient upgrades and a solar array for renewable energy, we continue to move Qwest Field down the path to be one of the smartest stadiums in the America,” said Dean Allen, CEO of McKinstry. “Our work at Qwest Field illustrates McKinstry’s commitment to a holistic approach to our community’s sustainable future.”

ECOtality is currently in discussions with public and private property owners for installations of public charging stations in the Puget Sound region, and has announced pilot programs with national retailers including Sears, Fred Meyer, Macy’s, BP/Arco, Cracker Barrel and Best Buy for The EV Project.

The Blink Pedestal is a level 2 charging station that provides intelligent, user-friendly features that intuitively and safely charge EVs. They include an interactive color touch screen and web-based media delivery via the Blink Network. Anyone will be able to charge at Blink charging stations utilizing a Blink InCard or by becoming Blink members. To obtain a Blink InCard, visit the Blink Network website at Blink Network , or contact the Blink Customer Support Center at 888.998.BLINK (2546).

About ECOtality, Inc.

ECOtality, Inc. , headquartered in San Francisco, California, is a leader in clean electric transportation and storage technologies. Through innovation, acquisitions, and strategic partnerships, ECOtality accelerates the market applicability of advanced electric technologies to replace carbon-based fuels.

About The EV Project

The EV Project is the largest rollout of EV infrastructure in the United States, deploying approximately 14,000 commercial and residential charging stations in 18 cities and major metropolitan areas throughout six states and the District of Columbia. The project, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy through a federal stimulus grant of $114.8 million made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), will provide an EV infrastructure to support the deployment of 8,300 EVs. The grants are matched by private investment, bringing the total value of the project to approximately $230 million.