Brickell Energy and the Miami headquarters team at Royal Caribbean Cruises are all charged up about the unveiling of six smart charging ports for electric vehicles on the company’s corporate campus at PortMiami. These EV charging stations are the new addition to the aFLoat Charging as a Service Program, provided by Brickell Energy and OBE Power Networks.
This amenity is for forward-thinking employees who enjoy the benefits of operating electric vehicles — and as an added benefit, who will now get premium spots in the company parking lot, as the six new charging units are located directly at the entrance of the 1040 building at PortMiami.
Brickell Energy president and Cutler Bay resident Alejandro Burgana said, “This is a significant commitment on the part of Royal Caribbean Cruises to its employees who desire convenient access to EV charging stations at their workplace. It also sends a clear signal that Royal Caribbean is doing its best to be a good corporate citizen.”
The event featured representatives from ChargePoint, South Florida Clean Cities Coalition and NextCar Pledge. In addition, a pair of electric vehicles was on display, supplied by Nissan and Tesla, promoting the multiple benefits of high-torque and zero-emission electric driving in Florida.
Royal Caribbean Cruises officials serving as corporate hosts at the event included vice president for Safety, Environment and Health Jennifer Love; assistant vice president for Environmental Stewardship and Public Health Eddie Segev; director for Environmental Stewardship Nick Rose; senior facilities manager at Royal Caribbean Sam Carr, and Miguel Pena, lead for Supply Chain.
“Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. is very excited to feature the new EV charging stations at our Miami headquarters,” Segev said. “We are truly passionate about the advent of all forms of innovation, not just because it creates novel opportunities and efficiencies, but also because it can drive more environmentally and socially conscious progress. Electric vehicles are certainly an exciting step toward changing how we view mobility in the U.S., and we are happy to be supporting these options.”
The system deployed at the company’s PortMiami facility is the ChargePoint CT4000 smart charging station — the right fit for businesses, municipalities, and property owners that want to offer EV charging to their employees, customers, residents, and fleets. Each unit offers two standard SAE J1772 Level 2 charging ports, Clean Cord Technology, and payment platforms that accept RFID cards, and credit cards, as well as Apple and Samsung Pay.
Among many other sophisticated functions and features, users can optimize their charging sessions through reservations and waiting-list capabilities. In addition, each unit is protected with a five-year Assure warranty that covers parts and labor.
Brickell Energy is creating smart solutions to meet the growing demand of Charging Stations for Electric Vehicles. Floridians are evolving to cleaner and more efficient transportation means, making the Sunshine State the fourth largest market for electric vehicles with double-digit growth rate.
It took seven years to sell the first million of EVs in the U.S., but at current growth rates, the second million of EVs will come in a fraction of that time, Burgana said. “The time is now to prepare for the demands EV charging will place on parking facilities at commercial buildings, condominiums, and public facilities.”
Natalia Neira, coordinator of Southeast Florida Clean Cities Coalition, agreed.
“With a mission to reduce petroleum use in transportation through alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies, we congratulate Brickell Energy. We are also extremely gratified with this important announcement because it not only reflects on Royal Caribbean’s sustainability practices, but also increases economic and energy security in the region,” she said.
Southeast Florida Clean Cities Coalition, hosted by the South Florida Regional Council, is a public private partnership of individuals, companies, and government agencies committed to maximizing the use of vehicles operating on clean, alternative fuels. As designees of the U.S. Department of Energy, the coalition provides a fuel-neutral policy direction that supports clean energy throughout Broward, Miami-Dade, Monroe, and Palm Beach Counties. For information, visit www.sefloridacleancities.org or call 954-985-4416.
NextCar Pledge (NCP), part of the Electrify the South campaign (www.electrifythesouth.org), also was on hand to offer its program for the first time to the Royal Caribbean audience. This new online and paper (palm card) pledge will demonstrate support for electric transportation by prospective car-buyers to garner peer-to-peer influence for EVs and build regional support for EV policy and car choices. For information, visit www.nextcarpledge.org.
Brickell Energy is committed to offering the most compelling, smart, conveniently located, and affordable EV charging solutions and the market. For information, call 305-546-5407 or visit www.brickellenergy.com.
