It is an understatement to say that Kruk, director of community engagement at EV-infrastructure business Lynkwell, is an early EV adopter.
“I started out falling in love with a Chevy Spark EV back in 2014,” she said. An article piqued her interest, and an EV seemed like a perfect match for her lifestyle – so she forged ahead.
At the time, EVs in the US were mostly confined to the West Coast. It’s surprising that a Chevy Spark ended up on the lot a few hours away from Kruk, who lives in upstate New York.
Even the sales rep at the car dealership didn’t seem to know what to do with the EV. He repeatedly cautioned Kruk against buying it.
A used car salesman talking a prospect out of a sale would be a red flag to most, but Kruk persisted.
The car had a 90-mile radius, and she lived 200 miles away. Yet she, her husband and son found a way to drive the car home. It took them two days to cover the distance, “realizing at the time that the infrastructure for EV charging was not there.”
It’s a lot closer to being “there” now, and Lynkwell is doing its part to make that happen.
The company, based in Schenectady, N.Y., operates a nationwide EV charging network and is said to provide simple EV charging and renewable energy solutions for other EV charging network operators. Lynkwell offers turnkey resources ranging from permitting and site design to installation and management.
The company has developed a number of EV partnerships, including a recent agreement with Tritium DCFC Limited, a global provider of DC fast chargers.
“Lynkwell strives to create a seamless charging experience, making Tritium a natural choice as a partner,” Lynkwell President Jason Zarillo said in a prepared statement. “Tritium’s industry-leading fast charging technology combined with our robust charging solutions creates an easy experience for charging station operators.”
Zarillo continued: “Partnerships like this are critical to delivering the reliable EV charging infrastructure that America needs.”