Indianapolis Makes National Headlines for BlueIndy Car Sharing Program

News Release

The New York Times highlights BlueIndy’s innovative technology, attractiveness to visitors

(INDIANAPOLIS, June 16, 2015) Indianapolis continues to be recognized as a leader in transportation electrification. As construction continues on several of BlueIndy’s all-electric car sharing locations, with an official launch expected later this summer, Indianapolis is now mentioned nationally alongside its sister programs in Paris and London.

The city’s reputation is getting a major boost from two national stories. The New York Times published two articles within several days of each other this week describing the unique technology BlueIndy (and its sister programs in Paris and London) offers to Indianapolis, as well as highlighting the significance of the added transportation option for visitors and residents alike.

The national media coverage again demonstrates the significance of the program – not only for its convenience and as a unique amenity to citizens and tourists in the city, but also of Indianapolis’ position as a leader in innovative and advanced energy technologies.

“This ground-breaking program is being lauded on a national scale for exactly what it was intended to be – an original demonstration of advanced technology that can serve as a benefit to the community it serves,” Paul Mitchell, president and CEO of Energy Systems Network (ESN), said.

Part of that community includes local employers, like Cummins, Inc.

“Clean and innovative technologies are at the core of what we do as a company and we are pleased to see the City of Indianapolis implementing progressive transportation options for residents and visitors,” said Tom Linebarger, Cummins chairman and CEO. “We want to grow in locations that allow us to attract and retain top talent and a commitment to key attributes like environmental sustainability, diversity and inclusion will help set Indianapolis apart and allow the city to thrive.”

BlueIndy’s merits extend beyond transportation. The services offer Indianapolis some sophisticated back office and software applications unlike those seen in other similar services.

“Being able to attract international companies like BlueIndy’s parent company Bolloré Group to Indianapolis serves as a catalyst for other advanced technology companies to bring their innovative ideas to the city,” Mike Langelier, president and CEO of TechPoint, said. “Further, attracting companies with global reach and creating innovative transportation amenities are productive means of retaining and attracting talent.”

Additionally, BlueIndy’s extensive benefits for the city also caught the attention of The New York Times. Indianapolis will be able to provide an exclusive amenity allowing convenient transportation around the city.

“BlueIndy gives the city’s 26 million annual visitors another progressive option to explore Indy,” Chris Gahl, vice president of marketing and communications for Visit Indy, said. “BlueIndy continues to catch the eye of national media, which helps position Indy as a progressive destination, driving demand for visiting Indy.”

Such a service is not only beneficial to visitors and residents, but also to local colleges and universities.

“As a community college, we are constantly finding ways to serve our students and better support them as they work toward attaining their higher education goals,” Tom Snyder, president of Ivy Tech Community College and ESN board chairman, said. “BlueIndy will create a new and affordable opportunity for our students, with the potential to serve as an important asset as we recruit new students, sometimes with limited transportation options.”

BlueIndy is expected to hold its public launch of the service by late this summer.

Energy Systems Network (ESN) is an initiative of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) that is focused on growing the advanced energy technology sector in Indiana and beyond. ESN’s mission is to take a collaborative approach to addressing our greatest energy needs through our network of partners, which includes Fortune 500 companies, emerging technology companies, and research and educational institutions with expertise in advanced technology vehicles, distributed power generation, advanced biofuels, renewable energy and energy efficiency. ESN leverages this network of industry experts to provide a variety of services geared toward advancing this technology, including multi-company collaborative projects; consulting services; and strategic workshops, planning and research. For more information, visit www.energysystemsnetwork.com.

BlueIndy an Indianapolis-based, 100 percent electric car sharing service that will include more than 1,000 charging stations and 500 Bluecars throughout Indianapolis. With more than $40 million invested by the Bolloré Group, BlueIndy will be the largest electric car sharing service in the U.S. when complete. For more information, visit www.blue-indy.com.

Contact:              Melissa Roberts, Energy Systems Network

Phone: 317.532.4808 (office)

317.501.4136 (cell)                          Email: [email protected]

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