ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — A New Zealand-based company announced Thursday it plans to install more than 6,000 electric vehicle chargers in Florida over the coming months, mainly at commercial sites, parking lots and other developments.
Invisible Urban Charging, based in Auckland, New Zealand, is partnering with Dallas-based Lincoln Property Co. to make the chargers available for all models of electric vehicles. The first are being installed at the new Truist Plaza, a Lincoln Property building in downtown Orlando.
The goal is to encourage more people to switch to electric vehicles while at the same time providing local jobs, improving air quality, reducing oil dependence and contributing to the fight against climate change impacts, said Nigel Broomhall, co-founder and CEO of Invisible Urban Charging or IUC.
"EV charger infrastructure is a critical piece of the puzzle that will accelerate the shift to electric transport,"" Broomhall said in the company's news release.
IUC will sign contracts with real estate owners, developers, parking lot operators and other clients who pay the company a monthly fee once chargers are installed. Motorists pay to use them through an IUC charging app.
The initial phase involves 3,827 chargers being installed over the next 12 months in Florida, mainly in the Orlando and Tampa areas, with at least 50 chargers available at each site, according to the company.
Installing 6,000 EV chargers would make IUC the largest charging company in Florida, the statement said.