HARTFORD–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) announced that JuiceBar, based in Norwalk, has been named August’s “Innovator of the Month.” JuiceBar manufactures electric vehicle (EV) charging stations that are made and assembled in the United States with the mission of addressing climate change while building a national EV charging infrastructure. Murphy toured JuiceBar’s manufacturing facility in Oxford earlier this month.
To meet the growing demand for EV charging stations, JuiceBar has tripled its Connecticut workforce over the past year and plans to create at least 100 more engineering and advanced manufacturing jobs in the state by the end of 2022. The U.S. Senate passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill also includes $53 million for over five years to support the expansion of an EV charging network in Connecticut.
“JuiceBar is the only American made and assembled EV charging station manufacturer, and I’m proud to recognize their leadership and the game-changing technology they’re building in Connecticut. Their innovation is a perfect example of how we tackle the climate crisis while creating good-paying green jobs. I look forward to seeing their continued growth in the state and impact on strengthening our national EV infrastructure,” said Murphy.
“JuiceBar is honored to be named Innovator of the Month by Senator Murphy,” said Paul Vosper, JuiceBar CEO. “We had the pleasure of showing Senator Murphy firsthand how JuiceBar is paving the way for Connecticut’s rapid expansion of electric vehicles. The number of charging stations around the country is expected to grow exponentially. JuiceBar is committed to continuing to create more jobs in advanced manufacturing and engineering and leading in innovative charging technology in the great state of Connecticut.”
JuiceBar recently announced its charging stations meet Made in America criteria in the Buy America provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Murphy’s BuyAmerican.Gov was included in the Senate passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill, and he also introduced the 21st Century Buy American Act and the American Jobs Matter Act earlier this year.
Murphy believes entrepreneurship and innovation are the building blocks for a strong economy. In the U.S. Senate, he has introduced two bipartisan pieces of legislation to incentivize angel investors to put more money into startup companies—the Angel Tax Credit Act and the Helping Angels Lead Our Startups (HALOS) Act. Startup companies create an average of 2 million jobs each year.