Could you begin by telling me about National Car Charging and how your mission supports the advancement of clean transportation in Colorado?

Based in Colorado, National Car Charging is the nation’s largest reseller of EV charging equipment and software – including ChargePoint, which is the nationwide leader in EV charging, along with eight other highly vetted brands. At NCC, our mission is to make the transition to driving electric as smooth as possible, not just for those investing in the infrastructure but for the drivers as well. We recognize that change isn’t easy, and this is a big transition. Therefore, in addition to building out EV charging infrastructure, we believe education is a big part of our mission, especially to support those who are new to this industry to help with this transportation shift.

Not only do we strive to make the transition to electric as easy as possible, but we try to do so responsibly. We don’t take money from oil companies, and we don’t represent companies that are involved in that space. At NCC we walk the walk and do everything possible to protect the environment. We believe we can be in business, make a profit, and save the planet at the same time

While NCC manages thousands of charging ports across the U.S., 25% are here in Colorado. How can working with Drive Clean Colorado develop sustainable community practices and ultimately get more EVs on the road in Colorado?

One of the things we’re really committed to is bettering Colorado. This is our home and while we want to see this transition nationwide, we live here and ultimately want to make a difference here. We do everything we can to educate consumers and infrastructure holders. Like DCC, we want to help change how people approach charging and how they approach driving to get more EVs on the road. If we can help DCC get their message out in conjunction with our own, that benefits all of us. That doesn’t just benefit us as a business, but that benefits us as citizens.

Additionally, we want to make sure our Colorado tax dollars are being spent here. We don’t want to see other companies come into Colorado and take our dollars out of state, we want to see them go toward the betterment of this place we call home. We want to work with DCC and others in the state to protect Colorado and make sure we can continue to enjoy it for generations to come.

How is NCC able to make the transition to EVs easy for current non-EV drivers? How can NCC make it seamless for those adding to EV charging Infrastructure?

It all starts with the infrastructure. We can make the transition for drivers easier by putting in stations that don’t fail and are easy to use. For example, we have a new partner we just started working with called EVPassport. What is cool with their stations is there are no access cards needed – you simply scan a QR code with your phone and it automatically pays for your “fuel” with Google or Apple Pay. That’s an example of taking the path of least resistance and bringing products to the market that are easy to use. It’s important to listen to what drivers are saying and what their pain points are, and then actually do the work to make sure that their needs are being met. That’s the type of innovation and thought leadership that we really support and the kind of products we want to get there.

As for building out charging infrastructure, we want to make sure that as stations are evolving and becoming easier to use, we’re bringing those to market. Even though 80% of charging actually happens at home, we want to ensure the one time someone needs to charge on the road, they have a good experience. If people don’t believe the chargers are out there or they finally get to one on their last 10 miles and can’t use it, then that’s a huge failure and doesn’t build consumer trust in the EV value proposition. At NCC we’re working with companies like ChargePoint, EVPassport, and other innovators so that doesn’t happen, and confidence remains strong. The EV hardware manufacturers we work with have strong customer service for their stations and have tools consumers can easily access. We’ve been in business for 10 years and when it comes to adding charging infrastructure, we’ve truly seen it all. It can be scary trying to figure out the EV hardware, software, and installation, so if we can use our experience and can give confidence to those that are installing these stations, we want to do so.

Are there any NCC products or services you would like to highlight that we haven’t discussed?

NCC is a state contract holder in the State of Colorado along with seven other states. We also have contracts with the City and County of Denver and have installations at most of the universities in the Denver metro area. One of our recent projects is on top of the parking garage next to the Colorado State Capitol building. You can see both the mountains and the Capitol when you’re up there – it’s pretty cool!

One last thing that I want to highlight is that we have a lot of experience working with the grant programs here in Colorado. I think what is oftentimes the biggest barrier to installing charging is the expense, so having access to grant dollars can really help offset those costs. Applying for a grant is not something everyone is familiar with and there are some nuances to the process that we’ve learned over the years. NCC can help you get through that first hurdle of the application process and be a consultative partner throughout.