US-based home furnishings retailer has formally plugged-in four Blink Pedestal charging stations for electric vehicles at its Carson, California branch in partnership with ECOtality, who is a green electric transportation and storage technology expert.
This is IKEA’s second such project in the US and more installations are planned in seven IKEA stores in Western US. Drivers who want to charge their electric vehicle can pull into a parking slot designated for them at IKEA Carson, swipe an RFID card called the Blink InCard, plug in the charger into their electric vehicle, and then leisurely shop at the IKEA store till their vehicle gets recharged. Blink InCard will be available for drivers at www.blinknetwork.com.
ECOtality is the manager of The EV Project, which is a public-private partnership with partial funding from the US Department of Energy federal stimulus grant that helps in offering the required infrastructure for supporting EV deployment. ECOtality supervises the deployment of nearly 14,000 residential and commercial charging stations across 18 cities and key metros in 6 states.
IKEA regularly evaluates global locations for opportunities for energy conservation, uses innovative materials during product design, cooperates with Global Forest Watch in maintaining green resources and uses flat packages, which help in efficient distribution of goods. IKEA’s sustainable efforts in the US include supporting green building by using energy-saving HVAC and lighting devices; recycling waste such as wood, paper, and plastic; water-saving restrooms; phasing out the incandescent bulbs sale and helping customers recycle fluorescent bulbs. The company is also installing photovoltaic panels in over half of its US stores. IKEA Carson is located at the S. Avalon Boulevard exit from Interstate 405 and spans 220,000-sq.ft and it employs nearly 250 workers.
Source: http://www.IKEA-USA.com