Yet another fast charging corridor will soon connect the cities of the Western US. DRIVEtheARC, which will link the metro areas of Monterey, San Francisco, Sacramento and Lake Tahoe, recently broke ground with a star-studded ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The new network is a joint project of the state of California and NEDO, a Japanese R&D organization. Other partners include Nissan and EVgo, which will manage the installation of the 50 fast charging stations at 20 locations.

Along with making long-distance electric driving more convenient, the project aims to study EV use and driving patterns through a smartphone app that will provide users with real-time convenience features such as navigation to charging stations and charger vacancy information. The stats will be available to users, and the partners will analyze use patterns to better inform future infrastructure projects.

The charging stations are expected to be up and running by March 2017. The data analysis project will be completed in September 2020.

“This network of convenient fast-charging stations will make it easier for more consumers to choose fun-to-drive and economical electric cars,” said CARB Chair Mary D. Nichols. “DRIVEtheARC will make intercity EV travel a breeze, and by putting more zero-emission vehicles onto our roads and highways, will help California meet our clean air and climate targets.”

Source: DRIVETHEARC