COLCHESTER, VT–(Marketwire – October 26, 2011) – Green Mountain Power (GMP) and Healthy Living Market unveiled a public electric vehicle (EV) charging station in the Healthy Living Market parking lot on Dorset Street in South Burlington, VT on Wednesday, October 26. Drivers will be able to charge an electric vehicle at no cost for the first year of operation. The charging station is incorporated into a striking sculpture of a tree by Vermont artist Kat Clear.
“We are excited to partner with Healthy Living to make this new EV station available to the community,” said Mary Powell, President and CEO of Green Mountain Power. “Having charging station infrastructure is critical to the adoption of electric vehicles. This project and others like it will also help GMP learn more about how people use electric vehicles, so we can move away from fossil fuel-based transportation without jeopardizing reliability and cost.”
“What an exciting project for Healthy Living, GMP, and the City of South Burlington,” said Eli Lesser-Goldsmith, the store’s owner and general manager. “Customers can fill up their electric cars while shopping for groceries. And the sculpture by Kat Clear makes this charging station the most unique and beautiful one I’ve ever seen. This is an excellent partnership that I hope to see grow as the market for electric cars grows.”
“Reducing Vermonters’ reliance on carbon-intensive fuels is a high priority of the Shumlin Administration,” stated Brian Searles, Secretary of the Vermont Agency of Transportation. “Forty-seven percent of Vermont’s greenhouse gas emissions come from transportation. Increasing the number of cars that run on renewable electricity is one of many strategies that Vermont can employ to change this.”
This new Coulomb Technologies CT2100 Chargepoint electric vehicle charging station is compatible with all electric vehicles on the market today. It includes customer-oriented features such as on-line and smartphone directions and reservations, driver notification of charge status, and effortless charging session initiation. The system will also provide feedback so that GMP can better understand how plug-in drivers use charging stations in the community.
The station will be paired with a net-metered solar array that is planned for the roof of Healthy Living Market. “The solar panel will help demonstrate how renewable energy fits in with new technologies to displace the carbon emissions from transportation,” said Ms. Powell.
It is anticipated that the electric vehicle market will grow in the coming years, with more than 100 plug-in electric or hybrid models available by 2013. The EV charging station will be different than the traditional gas station model, as fully charging a vehicle takes multiple hours, and will typically be done at home. However, it is expected that public charging stations will be used to “top off” electric vehicles to expand their range.
GMP has launched a new website at ev.greenmountainpower.com to share details about its charging station installations, and to be a resource where people can learn more about plug-in electric vehicles and EV charging station infrastructure.
Green Mountain Power’s environmental commitment has already inspired some electric vehicle purchases for the company. The company operates 22 hybrid vehicles, including two bucket trucks and three Toyota Priuses converted to plug-in hybrids powered by solar arrays, and two GEM neighborhood electric vehicles.
About Green Mountain Power
Green Mountain Power (www.greenmountainpower.com) generates, transmits, distributes and sells electricity in the State of Vermont and is a leader in wind and solar generation. It serves more than 96,000 customers.
About Healthy Living
Healthy Living Market and Café (www.healthylivingmarket.com) is Vermont’s premiere and largest Natural Foods Store. Selling the finest natural, organic, and local foods, Healthy Living is a one-stop-shop for all your foodie needs. Started almost 30 years ago, the store has grown exponentially over the years, now employing over 150 people and epitomizing the “local food movement.”
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