Two new electric vehicle chargers are now up and running in South Sacramento, and they’re not just about cleaner air. They were built by students, backed by federal funds, and installed at a community space that’s long served as a neighborhood anchor.
The NetZero Mobility Hub opened earlier this week outside South Sacramento Christian Center. The church already serves as a center for food giveaways, youth sports, and outreach programs. Pastor Leslie Simmons said it made sense to bring the new clean energy project there.
“This is a community hub. That is why this location is powerful,” Simmons said. “It is a hub for all of our community to go to for resources.”
A sign for South Sacramento Christian Center marks the entrance to the church grounds, where new EV chargers were unveiled on Aug. 5.Tony Rodriguez/CapRadioThe charging stations are located in a part of the city that has historically been left out of clean energy investments. While areas like Midtown and East Sacramento have many EV chargers, South Sacramento has far fewer.
Councilmember Mai Vang said this investment was long overdue.
“It's mostly these neighborhoods experiencing the poor health outcomes,” Vang said.
The total cost of the project was just over $1 million. Half a million dollars came from federal funding secured by Congresswoman Doris Matsui through the Community Project Funding program. Additional support came from the NBA Foundation, United Way, and The Center at Sierra Health Foundation — all of which contributed toward the youth workforce and training component.
That training was hands-on. The chargers were assembled as part of a clean energy fellowship for local youth. Seventeen-year-old Corrie Takeuchi, a 17-year-old senior at Grant Union High School, said his group was responsible for building one of the stations from the ground up.
“We pretty much built one of the EV chargers while the other one was built to show us as an example,” Takeuchi said. “And then we put all the panels on, the batteries, the hoses, and then we completed the charger.”
Takeuchi said the project made him want to keep working in the electric vehicle field.
“I really like the EV aspect and I like the benefits that it brings to our communities and the health benefits that it brings to people,” he said. “It really entices me to pursue this field more and make it better.”
In total, 36 youth from underserved neighborhoods were selected for the paid fellowship training. Each participant was paid and gained hands-on experience with EV infrastructure and solar power.
Pastor Simmons said the skills and resume-building experience could make a lasting difference.
A newly installed ChargePoint electric vehicle charger reads “in use” outside South Sacramento Christian Center on Aug. 5.Tony Rodriguez/CapRadio“They get to have that knowledge, take that knowledge, and then later in life go apply for a job,” he said. “They get to say, ‘I was a part of a program that helped install solar electric vehicle charging stations.’”
It’s not the first time South Sacramento Christian Center has served as a launchpad for new efforts. The church was one of the original food distribution partners during the pandemic and regularly hosts violence prevention work and community events. Simmons said profits from the charging stations will help support similar programs.
The fast chargers are now open to the public daily. Drivers can find the site through the ChargePoint website or by visiting the South Sacramento Christian Center.
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