CHARLOTTE — A new electric vehicle charging station, which is the first of its kind in the state, is now available along Beatties Ford Road. City officials say they added the charging station to ensure EV infrastructure is everywhere.
Gov. Roy Cooper was in town for the unveiling. The governor parked his gas-powered motorcade across the street and then hopped in an EV driven by Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles to drive over to the event.
The device, PoleVolt, is next to a small park known as the Ritz at Washington Heights.
Mayor Vi Lyles says the city selected this location for the charging station in consultant with the Washington Heights neighborhood. She says the equipment has to be everywhere, even if there aren’t many EVs here now
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The city said access to charging is a barrier for some people and technology like this provides a solution for people that lack the off-street parking needed for home charging systems.
But it’s not just that keeping people from buying electric vehicles. According to Kelley Blue Book, EVs cost an average $56,000.
Lyles and Cooper said the city needs to have that type of infrastructure in place everywhere when electric vehicles are more affordable and common.
“We want to be prepared for when that affordability comes. We don’t want to be late to the game,” Lyles said.
“The market competition is going to force prices down on EVs and more and more,” Cooper said. “Every day people will be able to afford them. We got to make sure the charging infrastructure is here.”
The device cost $10,000 and was paid for by a grant
It has been in place for a week and a nearby resident said he hasn’t seen anyone use it yet.
(WATCH BELOW: City of Charlotte transitioning fleet to electric vehicles)
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