Florida county to install electric vehicle charging stations
Hillsborough County, Fla., plans to install 10 electric vehicle charging stations around the county in October as part of a pilot program. The county is undertaking the program in anticipation of an increase in electric vehicle use by residents.
The charging stations, manufactured by Campbell, Calif.-based ChargePoint, as well as maintenance, will be free for the county during the pilot project. The county will only pay for their installation and electrical use. “It’s important to note that for every charging station that’s installed, there’s a creation of three jobs,” County Commissioner Mark Sharpe, the program’s sponsor, said in a statement.
Initial proposed charge station locations include a parking garage, libraries, county buildings, and Hillsborough Community College. Each charging station will be connected to a network that allows drivers to locate stations and discern availability and cost by going online or through a smart phone. The cost for parking at a charging station has yet to be determined. Each station will be able to charge electric vehicles from all major car makers. “Cleaner energy produced right here in America will, over time, help make us less dependent on foreign oil,” Sharpe said. “The way we drive and how we get our energy is going to change as well, and we’ve got to be on the cutting edge.”
The pilot project will end in January 2014, and at that time, commissioners can decide if they will keep the units and pay for their maintenance and connection to the charging station network.
Learn more about the Green Hillsborough efforts.
