A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the first Electric Vehicle charging station in Iowa was broadcast live on the Internet Thursday. Four “ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations” are currently in-place Elk Horn, a community of 800, with four more set to be installed within the next year. When the last four are brought on-line, the town will have the largest number of charging stations, per capita, in the world.
Mike Carberry is executive director of the Iowa Renewable Energy Association. “I just can’t wait ’til we get many more charging stations along Interstate 80,” Carberry says. “We need to push our legislators and make sure that we get these green vehicles, plug-in electric hybrids, the true electric hybrids, because we all should be able to drive a vehicle that doesn’t burn oil.” Mike Howard, president and CEO of Iron Eagle Technologies was the person responsible for bringing the public charging stations to Elk Horn. He says the community will be a “living, working laboratory” that includes many examples of new and old energy technology.
“These sustainability examples are what bind the economic development, provide environmental protection and equality that is key to our future and for other small, rural communities in our state and our nation,” he says. The charging stations in Elk Horn are the only charging stations that can be found along Interstate 80 between Denver and Chicago. Customers will be able to swipe their key, then plug-in and charge-up their electric vehicles.
Contributed by Ric Hanson, KJAN, Atlantic