SEATTLE – Electric Era, a Seattle-based EV charging solutions provider, has achieved an unprecedented feat, establishing a new industry standard for deployment speed. The company successfully installed six 200-kWh premium DC fast charging stalls at a Costco Wholesale warehouse in Northport, Florida, from start to finish, in just 54 days. This rapid turnaround significantly accelerates the timeline for electric vehicle infrastructure, marking a pivotal moment for widespread EV adoption.
The Northport Costco project exemplifies Electric Era’s streamlined approach. The company secured the contract on April 7, 2025, and submitted construction drawings and permits by April 18. Hardware arrived on-site by mid-May, with construction and testing completed a mere 10 days later. The charging station officially went live on May 30, 2025, just one day after its final inspection approval.
Innovative Technology Powers Rapid Deployment
This remarkable speed is largely due to Electric Era’s patented battery-backed architecture. This innovative design substantially reduces peak grid input power requirements, which in turn dramatically simplifies installation complexity. It also cuts overall grid power consumption by up to 70%. Beyond its unique technology, Electric Era’s vertically integrated approach plays a crucial role; the company manages system engineering, supply chain procurement, and manufacturing entirely in-house.
Quincy Lee, CEO of Electric Era, emphasized the direct benefit for clients. “Our retail customers don’t want their lots torn up for years; they want fast, reliable EV charging systems to help them grow their business and boost their bottom line,” Lee stated. “Because we manage the process from start to finish in-house, we deliver a significantly more efficient process across the board, completing deployments in a fraction of the time it takes other EV charger manufacturers.”
Strategic Advantage for Retailers and Drivers
The quick turnaround in site plan development and installation also offers strategic advantages, assisting businesses in leveraging federal and state grant programs. Electric Era’s battery-backed solution often eliminates the need for extensive utility upgrades, further simplifying the process. The company also designs, engineers, and manages projects while actively supporting grant proposals and navigating the review and approval processes.
Electric Era focuses on empowering retailers. Each charging station installation comes with seamless branding and loyalty integration capabilities. A proprietary operating system integrates directly into existing retailer IT systems, including point-of-sale, loyalty, and CRM platforms. This robust integration allows retailers to tap into the expanding EV customer segment, fostering business growth and new revenue streams. For example, the new Northport Costco chargers include three units, each with one CCS and one NACS cable, capable of charging an EV to 80% state of charge in 20 to 60 minutes on average. Retailers can also utilize the chargers’ large 32-inch touchscreens for personalized customer experiences, promoting offers and expanding point-of-sale opportunities directly in the parking lot.
Lee further noted, “Innovative retailers are looking to attract affluent EV customers as a way to grow their business, which is why more are becoming hyper-focused on charge station performance and reliability.” He added, “With our premium chargers and integrated user interface, retailers are leveraging our systems to expand their customer base and affinity programs to grow their revenues.”
Unmatched Reliability and Comprehensive Support
Electric Era’s commitment to reliability extends beyond installation. Their “skunk works” operations in Seattle, led by former SpaceX engineers, employ a ‘first principles engineering process.’ This meticulous approach evaluates every system aspect, mitigating vendor and supply chain complexities.
The company provides 24/7 system maintenance for all installations. Automatic fault detection identifies most system errors well before they affect EV drivers, with remaining issues often resolved remotely through over-the-air updates. As a result, Electric Era EV charging customers benefit from a greater than 90% session reliability rate, a financially backed 98.5% per-port uptime, and an impressive 96% positive driver rating on PlugShare. This high standard also qualifies Electric Era chargers for the Tesla Third-Party Charging program.
A Unique Approach to Retail EV Charging Success
Electric Era offers comprehensive, turnkey charging station solutions for retailers aiming to own their infrastructure or property managers looking to host EV charging. Their approach uniquely addresses the needs of large retailers, convenience stores, and quick-service refuelers by reimagining the EV charging experience with a focus on robust customer engagement and cost-competitive solutions.
This distinctive approach is built upon six core pillars:
- Reliability: Electric Era’s patented battery-backed architecture and proprietary operating system deliver a guaranteed 98.5% uptime per-port, ensuring stations are consistently operational.
- Speed to Market: Their battery-backed solution allows retailers to bypass traditional infrastructure constraints, enabling deployment in as little as one-quarter of the time typically required.
- Brand Enhancement: Customizable full-screen touchscreen displays offer powerful brand extension, integrating loyalty programs and personalized messaging directly at the charging station.
- Driver/Member Lifetime Value: The solution maximizes the lifetime value of EV-driving customers by offering reliable, fast charging seamlessly integrated with the retailer’s overall customer experience.
- Data-Driven Insights: Transparent, real-time data analytics provide retailers with crucial information to optimize EV charging operations and enhance customer value.
- Cost Efficiency: The patented battery-backed technology not only boosts reliability but also delivers significant cost savings by reducing the need for large grid upgrades and minimizing demand charges.
