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Estes Park, CO – October 12, 2021 – National Park Village has partnered with IPOWER Alliance and FreeWire Technologies, a leader in electric vehicle (EV) charging and power solutions, to bring rapid charging to Estes Park, Colorado, the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. The special ribbon-cutting ceremony unveiling National Park Village’s new Boost Charger, set against a stunning backdrop of Colorado’s majestic mountain scenery, will take place on Thursday, October 21, at 11am (MDT) at National Park Village, 900 Moraine Avenue, Estes Park, one mile from the Rocky Mountain National Park Beaver Meadows Visitor Center.
In support of the state’s impressive goals to advance EV adoption by 2030, National Park Village proprietor, Jim Sloan, saw the need to provide fast charging solutions to Colorado’s top tourism destination visited by five million travelers annually. FreeWire’s ability to plug into the existing low-power utility source and deliver high-power ultrafast charging at the very edge of the grid, without the need for utility infrastructure upgrades, is ideal for remote tourist locations such as the entrance to one of the most visited national parks in the country.
“I believe this installation will be a great way to support the Park Service’s mission of ecological and environmental stewardship of public lands and to provide reliable access to Rocky Mountain National Park for EV driving visitors,” stated Jim Sloan, Proprietor of National Park Village. “After intensive research of available charging equipment, the FreeWire Boost Charger stood out due to its integrated battery storage and its compatibility with current infrastructure at the site which eliminates excessive demand charges for power consumed. These advantages will allow me to maintain cost-effective rates to users.”
Colorado has a strong target of increasing the number of EVs to nearly a million by 2030, about half of all registered vehicles. To meet these goals, the mountainous state will need an especially robust charging network since EVs use more power while climbing than they recover on descents. Without a strong network, EVs could struggle to traverse the state’s Peak to Peak Byway or heading up to Trail Ridge Road from Estes Park, an elevation 12,183 feet at its highest point.
As the EV traveling public comes to visit Rocky Mountain National Park, the center at National Park Village offers convenient EV charging and an abundance of amenities. While charging their vehicle, EV drivers can occupy their charging time conveniently on site. National Park Village center offers amenities including the WayFinder restaurant (serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner), The Mad Moose clothing, souvenirs and equipment shop, The Country Market and Deli of Estes Park, and a laundry center for campers and hikers.
“We value forward-thinking entrepreneurs such as Jim Sloan, proprietor of National Park Village,” said Martin Lynch, Chief Operating Officer of FreeWire Technologies. “Jim has already built out an additional space for another Boost Charger and has two Level 2 chargers on the site offering connections for four additional vehicles. If he chooses to replace a Level 2 charger with a Boost Charger in the future, he can drop it into the same power source and convert from a 3kW output charger into a 120kW ultrafast charger in an hour with no changes to the electrical grid.”
Colorado-based IPOWER Alliance worked closely with management to conduct a deep analysis on the best solar, energy storage, and EV charging solutions for their business. “We are really excited to be up here at National Park Village installing the FreeWire Boost Charger and bringing Jim Sloan’s vision of EV charging to Estes Park,” stated Diane Dandeneau, Founder and CEO of IPOWER Alliance. “We are especially impressed with his entrepreneurship driving EV adoption in the state. Jim is a great example of how unleashing the American entrepreneurial spirit and bringing advanced technologies like FreeWire’s battery-integrated DCFC system to Colorado can support tourism and make a strong economic and environmental impact.”
FreeWire’s fully-integrated energy storage system charges directly from the battery instead of the utility grid, eliminating high-cost demand charges and providing rapid deployment and scalability of fast public EV charging. The new Boost Charger installation is the first of more planned to come to National Park Village as EVs continue to become more and more prevalent in the state.
“As a Colorado native and avid outdoorsman, I’m thrilled to install our first unit in the state at the doorstep of Rocky Mountain National Park,” commented FreeWire Chief Financial Officer, Michael Beer. “The state is among the most progressive regarding EV adoption and the charging infrastructure required. We’re proud to play a part in that build-out.” Beer added, “The economics associated with our product and the value proposition we deliver to that end customer are what sets FreeWire apart from the competition.”
FreeWire’s strong support for advancing Colorado’s fast charging infrastructure includes choosing the state as the future site for the company’s Advanced Technology Center. The company recently announced the appointment of John Seabury to spearhead the new facility driving continued innovation of FreeWire’s fully-integrated charging solutions and next-generation power products.
About National Park Village
Opened in 1978, the National Park Village center has provided services to Rocky Mountain National Park visitors for over 40 years. The center serves tourists as well as local customers with a variety of services. The Country Market and Delicatessen has an exceptional inventory to meet most grocery needs. Their Deli is renowned for providing excellent grab-and-go take out for trips into the National Park. The Mad Moose retail outlet offers outdoor clothing, equipment, and accessories, as well as mountain décor home furnishings. The WayFinder Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a wide menu to meet any taste. The Estes Park Laundromat is open from 6 am until midnight daily.
About FreeWire Technologies
FreeWire’s turnkey power solutions deliver energy whenever and wherever it is needed for reliable electrification beyond the grid (see video). With scalable clean power that moves to meet demand, FreeWire customers can tackle new applications and deploy new business models without the complexity of upgrading traditional energy infrastructure.
FreeWire has deployed battery-integrated chargers with Fortune 100 companies, commercial customers, fleets, retail locations, and gas stations. In addition to the partnership with bp pulse, FreeWire and ampm, a bp subsidiary and convenience store chain with over 1,000 locations, have already deployed multiple public charging stations in the U.S. FreeWire’s regulatory affairs and policy team keeps customers up to date on federal, state, and utility incentive opportunities, which in some cases cover up to 80% of the cost of the charging station, and the company recently announced that the Boost Charger is Buy America compliant. Learn more at www.freewiretech.com and follow us @FreeWireTech.
About IPOWER Alliance
IPOWER Alliance designs, builds and maintains solar/storage/carports/efficiency and vehicle charging stations for commercial customers. Through advanced energy modeling, IPOWER designs the best mix of solutions to provide increased operational and financial resilience. www.ipoweralliance.com. 720-548-6336.
Media Contacts:
FreeWire Technologies
marketing@freewiretech.com
Cory Ziskind
ICR
646-277-1232
cory.ziskind@icrinc.com
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