The first of hundreds of electric car-sharing vehicles coming to Sacramento as part of Electrify America’s $44-million investment in the City will be unveiled Nov. 1 at the Whispering Pines Apartments in Meadowview.
Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, Electrify America and Envoy, an electric car-sharing company awarded funds by Electrify America, will introduce the program’s first electric cars Nov. 1st at 11:00 a.m. Residents of the complex will be able to rent the cars on a per-minute, per-hour or daily basis.
Envoy is the first of two electric car share initiatives Electrify America is supporting in Sacramento. By early 2019, Envoy will offer 142 Volkswagen e-Golf electric cars at 71 locations with “Level 2” EV charging stations.
Envoy’s electric car-sharing service includes insurance for drivers with a valid driver’s license and good driving record. Residents can unlock the cars through the “Envoy There” mobile application for Android and iOS. The program was designed to provide needed mobility to lower income communities.
Electrify America and the City of Sacramento this week also launched the “Sac-to-Zero” initiative, which aims to accelerate the use of shared “clean mobility” transportation. Electrify America is funding electric vehicle charging infrastructure, zero emissions car sharing, and electric shuttle and bus programs. A second car-sharing company, Gig, plans to arrive in Sacramento in 2019 with 260 electric vehicles that can be picked up by customers and dropped off anywhere within a 13-mile home zone.
Sac-to-Zero is the new name for Electrify America’s Green City initiative in Sacramento, which is part of the company’s California Cycle 1 Investment Plan. The City plans to increase access to zero-emissions vehicles (ZEVs), expand ZEV technology use, and prepare Sacramento for future electric vehicle adoption. Over a 10-year period ending in 2027, Electrify America is investing $800 million in California to install electric vehicle-charging infrastructure and ZEV education and access programs in the U.S.
The Sac-to-Zero initiative is a coordinated effort between Electrify America, the City of Sacramento and strategic e-transportation collaborators that include Envoy, GIG Car Share, Sacramento Regional Transit, Yolo County Transportation District, Franklin Neighborhood Development Corporation and UC Davis. The Sac-to-Zero education and outreach campaign is being executed by local communications firm 3fold Communications.
