Charging Ahead
Charging Ahead
Electric vehicle owners love their cars, but there’s no shaking the dread of running out of power on the road without the hope of recharging.
That’s why AAA Western and Central New York (WCNY) is adding the SparkCharge Roadie to its fleet, providing a convenient solution for today’s emerging auto technology. Roadie is the world’s first and only ultrafast, portable EV charging system.
Charge running low? AAA WCNY’s SparkCharge units can deliver electricity at a rate of one mile per minute of charge time. The service is in operation in the Buffalo and Syracuse metropolitan areas and plans to expand to Rochester. AAA plans to expand service on pace with EV market growth in the future.
SparkCharge has strong local roots. Founder and CEO Josh Aviv started SparkCharge from his dorm room at Syracuse University, while cofounders Christopher Ellis and Richard Whitney are both Onondaga Community College graduates. The company’s offices are in Buffalo and Somerville, Massachusetts.
In 2020, SparkCharge was featured on the Season 12 premiere of Shark Tank, during which Lori Greiner and Mark Cuban teamed up to invest $1 million for 10% equity in the company.
Steven Steinmetz, director of automotive services and strategy with AAA Western and Central New York, said the SparkCharge partnership is part of AAA's ongoing commitment to EV owners.
“AAA Western and Central New York is on the forefront of advancing automotive technology, continually adapting to the ever-changing needs of members and their vehicles, as part of our Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) efforts,” Steinmetz said. “We are excited to be partnered with some leading companies in this exciting new space, like SparkCharge Inc., which is a local company with ties across the region.”
EV charging stations are currently operating at the Car Care Plus® location in Clarence and the AAA Travel and Service Center in Amherst with further expansion planned. EV charging station locations are conveniently located on TripTik® Travel Planner routes and the AAA Mobile app.
From mobile battery service to roadside assistance to finding a quality mechanic, don’t miss out on any of AAA’s trusted auto services. Learn more at AAA.com/Auto.