The existing “City of Malibu Electric Vehicles (EVs) Chargers” is a project aligned with our local non-profit World Team Now’s mission. We are concerned that they are not serving the public, as they still do not work after years of not functioning. It is a great location to have the EV chargers conveniently located at the Malibu Civic Center. With all of the new EVs on the road with models from Tesla, Nissan, Volt, Coda, and Fisker, we are concerned as to why these chargers are not turned on, maintained and updated.
Through The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, funds were allocated to the California Energy Commission to award Clipper Creek to change out antiquated chargers across California. The city qualifies to receive the upgrade for the adoption of both chargers. This grant will expire soon. Since 2005, World Team Now has been involved with EVs, and promoting them and the needed infrastructure. We are pursuing this local cause, not only for the interest and benefit of the public, but also for our environment. It is something we are passionate about and think others may be, too.
March last year, I asked an aerospace engineer who owned an electric vehicle to drive out to Malibu Country Mart for lunch for an interview with him for the article we were writing on EVs. He drove a long way, planned to charge his vehicle and return home. When he arrived at the Civic Center to charge his vehicle, to his dismay and my shock, the City of Malibu’s chargers were not there. At that time, we contacted the City. We learned the chargers were to be taken out due to the construction and would be replaced.
However, after being replaced they are still not functioning. Nor were they on the list to be recipients of the free chargers offered through the grant program. We found out it is not too late if immediate action is taken. World Team Now is rallying on behalf of the community now. The base for our non-profit is in Malibu because of this community’s environmental consciousness and our reverence for the natural beauty here. Please support us in this initiative for action and get these chargers updated and working.
Suzanne Maxx