CHARGE EV, LLC Invests in ZEF Energy

Electric vehicle focused group created by electric cooperatives, including MiEnergy Cooperative, invests in market leading EV platform and charging units

Jan. 11, 2020 – ZEF Energy Inc. (Edina, Minn.) has added chargEV™, a collaboration of 29 community-owned electric cooperatives, to its list of investors. 

chargEV™'s founding co-ops are located throughout the Midwest in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Together they are working to build a national electric vehicle (EV) charging brand powered by cooperatives and investing in EV-focused companies.

“chargEV™’s investment is not only important for growing our business, but it also demonstrates their belief in the ZEF Energy’s ZEFNET utility platform and ZEFNET-enabled Level 2 and Level 3 chargers,” said Matthew Blackler, CEO of ZEF Energy. “The EV market is taking off and having our chargers easily accessible will create a better EV driver experience. We believe connecting drivers with their serving utility is essential to achieving the beneficial load growth dream,” said Blackler.  

ZEF Energy has successfully worked with electric cooperatives and municipalities since 2014. The company has won numerous grants and contracts across the Midwest, including the U.S. Department of Energy’s Michigan to Montana (M2M) Interstate 94 Corridor project, which will install ZEF Energy chargers along the I-94 corridor. ZEF has the largest installed base of open standard DC chargers in the Midwest. The ZEFNET platform is a turn-key approach to managing residential and commercial charger load and allows utilities to gather revenue grade metering and conduct precision load control.  

“The ZEF Energy partnership is an exciting collaboration opportunity for our electric cooperatives that allows us to have a common EV platform that includes EV software and hardware. It will help us meet our needs as an electric cooperative for our members in preparation of more EVs on our roads,” said Brian Krambeer, president and CEO of MiEnergy Cooperative, one of chargEV™’s founding cooperatives.  

Blackler added, “Co-ops are forward thinking organizations and they recognize EV’s will play a big part of their future. We look forward to working with chargEV™, spreading the word both regionally and nationally, for what can be achieved through picking the right partner, using co-op branded hardware and software and pragmatic program delivery for rural electric cooperatives to make EV load growth, beneficial load growth.” The companies did not disclose terms of the investment.

About ZEF Energy
Partnering to create a zero emissions future. 

ZEF Energy's mission is to support a reliable, low emissions transition to electric vehicles. We are a passionate group of software, hardware, development and policy experts that craft smart transportation electrification solutions. These solutions are outcome driven, nimble, and bring additional social benefit to our communities. We believe in accessible, convenient, and low burden offerings that support the economy as well as the environment.

About chargEV™

chargEV™ was created by 29 electric cooperatives spread across Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin to help promote EV adoption and create a national charging network. Electric cooperatives serve more than 42 million people across 48 states. More information can be found at www.charge.coop. 

Participating Electric Cooperatives
Allamakee-Clayton Electric Cooperative Inc., Postville, Iowa
Barron Electric Cooperative, Barron, Wis.
Bayfield Electric Cooperative, Iron River, Wis.
Central Wisconsin Electric Cooperative, Rosholt, Wis.
Chippewa Valley Electric Cooperative, Cornell, Wis.
Clark Electric Cooperative, Greenwood, Wis.
Dairyland Power Cooperative, La Crosse, Wis.
Dunn Energy Cooperative, Menomonie, Wis.
Eau Claire Energy Cooperative, Fall Creek, Wis.
Freeborn-Mower Cooperative Services, Albert Lea, Minn.
Heartland Power Cooperative, Thompson, Iowa
Jackson Electric Cooperative, Black River Falls, Wis.
Jo-Carroll Energy, Elizabeth, Ill.
Jump River Electric Cooperative, Ladysmith, Wis.
MiEnergy Cooperative, Rushford, Minn., Cresco, Iowa 
Oakdale Electric Cooperative, Oakdale, Wis.
Oconto Electric Cooperative, Oconto Falls, Wis.
People’s Energy Cooperative, Oronoco, Minn.
Pierce Pepin Cooperative Services, Ellsworth, Wis.
Polk-Burnett Electric Cooperative, Centuria, Wis.
Price Electric Cooperative, Phillips, Wis.
Richland Electric Cooperative, Richland Center, Wis.
Riverland Electric Cooperative, Arcadia, Wis.
Rock Energy Cooperative, Janesville, Wis.
Scenic Rivers Energy Cooperative, Lancaster, Wis.
St. Croix Electric Cooperative, Hammond, Wis.
Taylor Electric Cooperative, Medford, Wis.
Vernon Electric Cooperative, Westby, Wis.
Washington Island Electric Cooperative, Washington Island, Wis.