Blink Charging Co (BLNK)

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The Blink/CCGI fan club continues to speak out:

Bainbridge may pull plug on Blink, install Chargepoint station for electric cars

The Blink electric vehicle charging station is inoperable and has been covered with a plastic bag. City officials are considering installing a new station and having the Blink station removed.
by BRIAN KELLY, Bainbridge Island Review Editor
Feb 17, 2015 at 1:37PM

Blink and you may miss it? The city of Bainbridge Island doesn't think so.

With its electric vehicle charging station on Winslow Way still kaput — and a new contract proposal for the Blink charging station that hasn't exactly created sparks of excitement at city hall — Bainbridge officials have decided to look elsewhere for a new charger and a company to keep the juice flowing.

The electric vehicle charging station in downtown Winslow was installed during the Winslow Way reconstruction project in 2011, and was paid for by a federal grant.

The Blink power station is now owned by the city, but officials said it has had ongoing reliability issues. The station, located near Blackbird Bakery, is inoperable and has been covered with a bag for many weeks now.

City officials had considered a new agreement with Blink, owned by Car Charging Group, Inc. of Miami Beach, Florida, to have the unit repaired and put back into service.

The terms of the agreement, however, proved problematic.

The company had said it would take ownership of the station, but it also wanted an exclusive four-year agreement for the Winslow unit and any other charging stations set up by the city.

Blink also proposed keeping 60 percent of the net profits after operating costs.

City officials evaluated the proposal but noted "another service provider would be more responsible and reliable." Officials are now asking the city council to buy a new charging station from Charge Northwest, a Gig Harbor firm with a customer list that includes the cities of Seattle, Tacoma, Mercer Island, Edmonds and others, as well as Kitsap County, Microsoft, the Boeing Company and Nintendo.

Public Works Director Barry Loveless is asking the council to approve the purchase of a Chargepoint electric vehicle.

The dual-output station would cost $5,795, according to Charge Northwest.

Total costs of $8,224 would include a three-year, discounted network subscription plan, the removal of the Blink charging station and $1,000 for an electrical contractor to install the new Chargepoint station.

Chargepoint would keep 10 percent of the fees collected at the Winslow Way station, and the city would retain control over setting the fees that are charged.

City officials note that the Central Market in Poulsbo currently has a Chargepoint station, and that Town & Country Market is also planning on installing a Chargepoint unit as part of the grocery store's remodeling project.

The Bainbridge council will talk about the Chargepoint proposal at its meeting Tuesday. The council meeting begins at 7 p.m. Feb. 17 at city hall.

Final approval of the change in charging stations is expected at the Feb. 24 council meeting.

http://www.bainbridgereview.com/news/292264491.html#