Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructures Installed in Greenfield
GREENFIELD - Two electric vehicle chargers that can each charge two vehicles at a time have been installed in the Greenfield Public Library parking lot. The new chargers bring the number of city-owned chargers to 14. Additional chargers will be installed at the new Greenfield Fire Station and to replace the current City Hall unit.
Starting Tuesday, September 5, the fee to charge at all city-owned ChargePoint EV chargers will be 28 cents/kWh to cover the city’s electricity and networking fees.
The new chargers are made by ChargePoint and provide more capabilities than the original units, including faster charging speeds, letting drivers check whether units are available and texting drivers when charging is complete. Each unit has two plugs. In addition to the four plugs at the new library, there are eight plugs in the parking garage and two in the Chapman Davis parking lot.
A new ChargePoint charger will replace the original charger at the City Hall lot in the coming months as the city adds four more plugs to the new fire station. The parking garage units currently cost $1.25 per hour to charge. Beginning on September 5, the parking garage chargers will also be 28 cents per kWh.
“The city is committed to leading in sustainability and welcomes expanding charging solutions for the increasing number of electric vehicles on the roads,” said Mayor Roxann Wedegartner. “We have long supported EV charging infrastructure and installed our first chargers downtown as part of a DOER grant program to combat ‘range anxiety’ in 2011. At that time, few models existed, and they had less than 100 miles of range. We’ve seen a dramatic increase in usage at the chargers and have come up with a fee that aligns with
those in the region and to cover the city’s costs."
those in the region and to cover the city’s costs."
“Most electric cars on the market today have a range from 220 to 360 miles or more per charge, and new models continue to provide more range,” said Energy and Sustainability Director Carole Collins. “There are up to $11,000 in incentives available for the purchase/three-plus year lease for a new electric vehicle, and up to $7,500 in incentives to purchase used electric vehicles with more models added to the market every year.”
“Incentives to install an EV charger at home are also now available through Eversource, and tax credits to update wiring and electric service will soon be available through the Inflation Reduction Act,” Collins added. Links can be found on the Energy and Sustainability Department webpage on the City of Greenfield’s website.”
Eversource incentive: https://www.eversource.com/
Inflation Reduction Act info: https://www.rewiringamerica.