CIONSHOHOCKEN, PA – Furniture retailer IKEA announced a partnership with ECOtality Inc. to host Blink electric vehicle charging stations at select IKEA stores in the Western United States. 

IKEA locations under consideration for hosting the charging stations include 10 stores in Arizona, California, Oregon and Washington. Operational charging stations could be available as early as fall 2011. This initiative represents the first project of its kind for IKEA.

IKEA will be responsible for preparing sites for installation, keeping them orderly and reporting charging information to ECOtality. ECOtality will oversee installation and manage ongoing charger operations. The select stores meeting key criteria will have a minimum of two stations. The pilot program between ECOtality and IKEA will last through December 2012.

“We are excited this partnership will make charging stations more accessible to the many people choosing to drive electric vehicles,” said Mike Ward, IKEA U.S. president. “Hosting charging stations at IKEA locations known for regional draws furthers our commitment to a smaller carbon footprint and technological opportunities that help protect the environment. This project is part of a global effort to promote the sustainable transport of people.”

ECOtality is the project manager of the EV Project, a public-private partnership funded in part by a federal stimulus grant from the U.S. Department of Energy made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The project’s goal is to provide the necessary infrastructure to support the deployment of EVs. ECOtality is overseeing the installation of approximately 14,000 commercial and residential charging stations in 18 cities and major metropolitan areas in six states and the District of Columbia. IKEA stores are in four of those states.