Greentech Lead America: IKEA, a home furnishings
retailer, has set up four Blink Pedestal electric vehicle charging stations at
its Tempe, Arizona store, in partnership with ECOtality, a provider of clean
electric transportation and storage technologies.
This is the ninth project for IKEA in the United States,
with the eight other locations also in the Western U.S.
To charge an electric vehicle at IKEA Tempe, drivers pull
into a designated parking spot, swipe their Blink InCard (RFID card), plug the
charger into the EV, and then shop and eat at their leisure in the IKEA store
while the vehicle is charging.
“Our mission is to create a better everyday life for
the many people, and at IKEA Tempe, we just added to this effort with these
electric-vehicle charging stations. We appreciate the support of ECOtality and
SRP in making this opportunity available to members of the community,”
said Robby Weirman, IKEA
Tempe store manager.
ECOtality is managing the installation of 14,000
commercial and residential charging stations in 18 cities and major
metropolitan areas in six states and the District of Columbia. IKEA stores are
in four of those states.
“Installing Blink charging stations at IKEA Tempe
allows EV drivers to charge at a location that is situated in a highly visible
and accessible area. It is exciting for us to work together with IKEA to help
build the public charging infrastructure necessary for mass EV adoption,”
said Marc Sobelman, Arizona Area Manager for ECOtality.
Globally, IKEA evaluates all locations regularly for
energy conservation opportunities, integrates innovative materials into product
design, works with Global Forest Watch to maintain sustainable resources, and
flat-packs goods for efficient distribution.
Specific U.S. sustainable efforts include: recycling
waste material (paper, wood, plastic, etc.); incorporating environmental
measures into the construction of buildings in terms of energy-efficient HVAC and
lighting systems, recycled construction materials, skylights in warehouse
areas, and water conserving restrooms; and operationally, phasing out the sale
of incandescent light bulbs, facilitating recycling of customers’ compact
fluorescent bulbs, and installing solar panels atop 85 percent of its US
locations.