Charlemont company lends a hand in EV charging installations as part of 413 Charger Challenge

Electric vehicle charging stations like this one will be constructed across western Massachusetts as part of the 413 Charger Challenge.

Electric vehicle charging stations like this one will be constructed across western Massachusetts as part of the 413 Charger Challenge. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/ROSS BLOOM

Ross Bloom of Revvit and Blake Spooner of The Cruckfather LLC chat about electric vehicle chargers while Cruckfather crews cut lumber for charging pedestals. Bloom says these charging pedestals better fit the character of rural western Massachusetts and are more aesthetically pleasing than typical gray EV chargers.

Ross Bloom of Revvit and Blake Spooner of The Cruckfather LLC chat about electric vehicle chargers while Cruckfather crews cut lumber for charging pedestals. Bloom says these charging pedestals better fit the character of rural western Massachusetts and are more aesthetically pleasing than typical gray EV chargers. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/ERIC KORENMAN

Ross Bloom of Revvit and Blake Spooner of The Cruckfather LLC chat about electric vehicle chargers while Cruckfather crews cut lumber for charging pedestals.

Ross Bloom of Revvit and Blake Spooner of The Cruckfather LLC chat about electric vehicle chargers while Cruckfather crews cut lumber for charging pedestals. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/ERIC KORENMAN

By MADISON SCHOFIELD

Staff Writer

Published: 06-15-2025 10:00 AM

CHARLEMONT — A local company is lending a hand to make a widespread electric vehicle charging station installation effort blend in with western Massachusetts’ natural environment.

Revvit, a Somerville-based electric vehicle charging company, is launching an initiative to install EV chargers across western Massachusetts. The 413 Charger Challenge has a goal of adding 413 charging stations across the area code and is receiving help from a Charlemont timber frame company to help the charging stations better match the region’s rural character.

“I founded Revvit to help make it more affordable to put EV chargers in places where it’s often too expensive to put chargers in,” CEO Ross Bloom said. “We’re hoping to build 413 chargers across the 413 area code and lift up the whole region to make it more appealing for people in western Massachusetts to drive electric vehicles.”

Bloom said the typical EV charger that gets installed at gas stations, grocery stores, apartments, etc., is a Level 2 charger, which relies on high-voltage connections, allowing it to charge vehicles quickly and add as much as 200 miles of driving time in an hour. These systems can be expensive, costing between $20,000 and $30,000 per charger.

Revvit is taking a different approach, Bloom said. The company offers Level 1 chargers, which are significantly slower, adding only a few miles of driving time per hour. It’s not convenient if you need a quick charge, Bloom said, but it’s perfect for locations where vehicles regularly sit for hours and for sites where the power grid cannot support high-voltage connections. Level 1 chargers only need 120-volt connections — the same as a standard wall outlet.

Bloom said Revvit is targeting airports, train stations, apartment complexes and office spaces as prime sites for these Level 1 chargers, which typically cost $10,000 less than Level 2 chargers.

A pilot program in New Hampshire last year found that setting up charging stations in locations where vehicles are already parked for long periods of time is a good way to introduce EV chargers to regions that don’t have the funding to support expensive grid upgrades and infrastructure installation, Bloom said.

Revvit is now partnering with the Berkshire Innovation Center and 1Berkshire in Pittsfield to promote the installation of Level 1 chargers through the 413 Charger Challenge. Bloom said Revvit is looking to work with apartment complexes, real estate firms, businesses and municipalities to add 413 chargers across western Massachusetts.

Article continues after...

Yesterday's Most Read Articles

The charging stations are not free, but by installing lower-cost systems and working with state partners, Revvit hopes to make EV charging as affordable as possible.

“The cost of putting in this infrastructure, even if you have the grid capacity, it’s a big barrier,” Bloom explained. “We’re working to get prices down so sites can invest that last bit.”

Lever Inc., a North Adams-based economic development nonprofit, has secured a state Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs grant to support the installation of chargers at 10 recreational areas, nonprofits and affordable housing communities across the region, Executive Director Jeffrey Thomas said.

To make the chargers more visually appealing, Revvit is working with The Cruckfather LLC, a timber frame company based in Charlemont. The business designed a unique charging pedestal made from locally and sustainably sourced red oak. Bloom said these charging pedestals better fit the character of rural western Massachusetts and are more aesthetically pleasing than typical gray, boxlike EV chargers.

“We want to imbue the installation with a feeling of sustainability and make it look good,” Bloom said.

While Revvit is based in Somerville, Bloom said it’s important to him to ensure western Massachusetts has access to electric vehicles as well.

He added that he used to work at the Amazon warehouse in Holyoke, so he is familiar with the region and believes communities in western Massachusetts are particularly sensitive to the impacts of climate change and what they can do to help.

“There’s a lot of communities in western Massachusetts concerned about climate change,” Bloom said. “I think a lot of people would want to drive an electric vehicle if there was infrastructure to support them.”

By installing charging stations across the region, Bloom hopes more western Massachusetts residents will feel empowered to switch to electric vehicles. He noted the installation will also allow tourists from eastern Massachusetts and other areas of the country where EV chargers are already more common to journey to western Massachusetts and explore all there is to see and do here.

Bloom said the goal is to complete the 413 charging stations by 2030, but if possible, even sooner.

“We’re at the initial stages of this project,” Bloom said. “We understand it’s not going to happen overnight.”

Reach Madison Schofield at 413-930-4579 or mschofield@recorder.com.