AC Hotel Kingston Electric Car Charging is ATL Automotive push for Jamaican EV adoption

“Electric and hybrid cars are the fastest-growing segment in the automotive industry. It’s the future. Virtually every automotive company in the world is preparing to launch full electric variants in the near future, if they haven’t already, and we’re delighted to be able to offer this future-proof convenience to Jamaican motorists”

Deputy chairman and CEO of the ATL Automotive Group, Adam Stewart, CD, commenting on electric car charging at the AC Hotel Kingston.

Electric and Hybrid vehicles are on their way to Jamaica, at least for tourists.

AC Hotel Kingston, scheduled to open next month in July 2019, will soon become the first hotel to offer electric car charging as noted in the article “AC Hotel Kingston Offers Electric Car Charging”, published Sunday June 9, 2019, The Jamaica Gleaner. 

The three (3) electric car charging is being offered a part of a partnership among the following companies:

1.      TATL Automotive Group

2.      Jamaica Public Service (JPS)

“JPS Business applauds this initiative and is a proud partner with the ATL Automotive Group and AC Hotel Kingston on this monumental leap in offering electric vehicle charging within the hotel and welcomes a partnership that benefits all stakeholders. We’re committed to driving growth and supporting a sustainable EV market in Jamaica,” said Andre Mangue, marketing officer, JPS Business.

It will allow the electric and plug-in hybrid car owners free charging facilities within the property. They also promote the BMW and MINI car brands.

So expect this to really work for BMW and Mini models such as the 2019 Mini Cooper Countryman Plug-In Hybrid as detailed in my blog article entitled “Why the 2019 Mini Cooper Countryman Plug-In Hybrid heralds Electric and Hybrids by 2030”.

AC Hotel Kingston - Electric charging for the Upper Crust with data collection

AC Hotel Kingston is set to be an impressive structure in itself:

1.      220-room business-lifestyle hotel

2.      18,600 square feet of meeting space in 6 separate rooms

3.      Check-in desk for guests with disabilities

It is also built with an environmentally-conscious mindset, with the following Alternative Energy installations:

1.      200 solar panels

2.      Energy-efficient glass

Conceptualized and developed specifically for AC Hotel Kingston by Forge Dynamics & Innovations Ltd, the chargers facilitate 7.6kW Level 2 output charging.

This means that most hybrid and electric vehicles can be charged here. These are also fast chargers, meaning that even high-end sports cars can be charged at these locations, with the option of supercharging for sports cars.

They can also collect data on the number and type of cars that use the charging ports a well as the level of charge, as pointed out by Patrick DeRizzio, director of Forge, quote: “The charging solutions include capabilities to monitor charging and provide valuable data insights as well as many other exciting options”.

With a main ballroom boasting a seating capacity of 600 people, this hotel is set to be a prime meeting and Kingston's newest landmark to attract Internationals travelling to Kingston and Embassies and Diplomats looking for something different from the Pegasus or the Courtleigh Hotel.

So why is ATL Automotive offering this service given that few Jamaicans drive Electric or hybrid vehicles?

ATL Automotive and Electric Vehicles in Jamaica - AC Hotel Kingston Ground zero for Jamaican EV adoption

According to a report from analysts at JPMorgan by 2025:

1.      40% of all new vehicle sales throughout the world will be all-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles

2.      1% of global vehicle sales were EVs and PHEVs in 2016

Electric car charging may imply that ATL will also be offering Electric Car rental of their Electric car fleet to hotelier, as hinted by Deputy chairman and CEO of the ATL Automotive Group, Adam Stewart, as he commented, “Given the demand we’re already seeing for plug-in hybrid cars and the sheer number of full electric cars, we’re anticipating to launch in the next 18-24 months. We expect it to be a popular addition”.

Currently a 60% Import Duty on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids is restricting mass adoption by Jamaicans as pointed out in my blog article entitled “JPS, USAID and How removing 60% import duty on Electric Vehicle will reduce Jamaica's Oil Bill”. 

Its removal would spur mass adoption, with Taxi services and mass transport services such as the JUTC (Jamaica Urban Transit Company) as predicted in my blog article entitled “Why JUTC going Hybrid indicates removal of 60% import duty on Electric Vehicles”, benefiting from the reduced fuel cost of running such vehicles.