Two electric vehicle chargers installed in Greenfield

GREENFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Two new electric vehicle chargers have been installed in the Greenfield Public Library parking lot.

These chargers can charge two vehicles at a time and bring the number of chargers in Greenfield to 14, according to the City of Greenfield. Four chargers are coming soon to the new Greenfield Fire Station and the current City Hall charger will be replaced.

The new chargers are made by ChargePoint and they have more capabilities than the original units, such as faster charging speeds, letting drivers check whether units are available to use, and they can text drivers when charging is complete.

In addition to the four plugs at the library, there are eight plugs in the parking garage and two in the Chapman Davis parking lot. The units cost $1.25 per hour to charge your car, and beginning on September 5, the garage chargers will be 28 cents per kWh.

The charging fee for all of the city-owned ChargePoint EV suits will also be 28 cents/kWh to cover the city’s electricity and networking fees beginning on September 5.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, all-electric vehicles have an electric motor instead of an internal combustion engine. Electric vehicles use a large traction battery pack to power the electric motor and must be plugged into a wall outlet or charging equipment, which is also called electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE).

The vehicle emits no exhaust from a tailpipe because it runs on electricity, and they do not contain the typical liquid fuel components, such as a fuel pump, fuel line, or fuel tank like other cars.

“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 covers 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.”