Today is Earth Day, and AAA Western and Central New York is pleased to announce a commitment to provide future mobile electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions as part of its Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) efforts.

“AAA Western and Central New York is thrilled to partner with SparkCharge, Inc. to integrate its Roadie solution into our automotive services in coming months,” said Anthony B. Spada, President and CEO of AAA Western and Central New York. “We recognize that the future of automotive service is rapidly changing to include alternative fuel vehicles. We aim to close a critical gap in our mobile service offerings in the electric vehicle segment to provide relevant services to our members and the motoring public.”

Roadie is the world’s first and only ultrafast, portable EV charging system, according to SparkCharge. Once AAA Western and Central New York acquires the units, AAA Fleet Technicians will be trained on how they operate before mobile charging will be made available to members in need.

Running out of a charge on the road is a top concern among consumers when considering an electric vehicle. According to a recent AAA survey, released in 2020, prior to owning an electric vehicle, a majority of owners (91%) said that they had at least one concern – things like insufficient range, implications for long-distance travel and finding a place to charge. Post purchase, many of these worries disappeared. Almost all owners surveyed (95%) report never having run out of a charge while driving and on average, they do three fourths (75%) of their charging at home. Likely as a result, those who were originally concerned about insufficient range said they became less or no longer concerned post-purchase (77%). The majority (96%) say they would buy or lease another electric vehicle the next time they were in the market for a new car. As more consumers consider EVs, AAA wants to ensure that mobile charging is available for those in need.

SparkCharge is a local company with ties across the region. The Buffalo-based business is a 43North award winner and was recently featured on Shark Tank where it secured $1 million in start-up funding. The company was founded by graduates of Syracuse University and Onondaga Community College. 

AAA research finds that over five years and 75,000 miles of driving, the annual cost of owning a new compact electric vehicle is only slightly more expensive – about $600 annually – than its gas-powered counterpart. That figure is sure to change as EVs become more prevalent in the sector.

A recent report by NYSERDA, based on data from the Department of Motor Vehicles, reveals that there are 67,341 EVs on the road in New York.