Environmentally conscious car owners in the Capital District recently had another location added to the slowly growing list of places to stop and charge up an electric car.
On Tuesday, Feb. 5, the owners of Tri City Rentals unveiled two new electric vehicle charging stations at their Woodlake Apartments complex in Guilderland on Old School House Road. The station is free for the public to use and reservations for a charging time can be made online.
“The decision to introduce EV stations at Woodlake was an easy one,” said Tri City General Manager Tim Owens. “This not only provides a positive impact to our Woodlake community but also provides a positive impact for those in the Capital Region.”
The charging stations were installed by Plugin Stations Online and were paid for through federal and state grants. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority also helped as part of a joint effort to get 325 new charging stations installed throughout the state.
“The need for electric vehicle charging stations is increasing as we see the automobile industry reshaping the way we think about our vehicles,” said John Doran, owner of Plugin Stations Online. “This NYSERDA program reflects the environmentally conscious effort New York State is undertaking and thanks to forward thinking companies like Tri City Rentals, we’re going to see more charging stations installed as this industry trend progresses.”
Owens said additional Tri City Rentals communities in Buffalo and Rochester also have plans to install charging station with the help of NYSERDA. He said locally, Woodlake Apartments was chosen because of its proximity to a major highway, local businesses and major areas of employment.
“Gas prices are going up to $4 and it could hit $5 again,” said Albany County Executive Dan McCoy. “This is the type of outside-the-box thinking that we need and I thank NYSERDA and Gov. Andrew Cuomo for putting the money in last spring to open these stations.”
The funds are part of a statewide initiative to cut carbon emissions. The Cuomo administration eventually would like to see 3,000 charging stations installed all over New York.
There are currently 10 public charging locations in the Capital District, including at new ShopRite grocery stores in the area. Eventually, 35 stations will be installed at 15 different locations through the NYSERDA initiative.
For the foreseeable future, the owners of Tri City Rentals will be paying any electricity costs associated with the stations so patrons can stop and charge their hybrid or electric cars for free. It can take up to 6 hours to fully charge some electric car models, and the stations are compatible with all existing electric cars.
The stations are connected to the ChargePoint Network, and car owners can visit a website or use a smartphone to reserve a time. The system is meant to cut down on energy theft, ensure safety for customers and make finding time to charge a car more convenient. Customers can pay a one time fee of $25 to purchase a Chargepass swipe card to use the stations or make a reservation using a credit card, but they will not be charged for the time.
To find an EV charging station in the area, visit chargepoint.com