Electrical Vehicle Charging Station to Open in Encinitas This Week

People driving electric vehicles (EV) will soon be able to charge them in downtown Encinitas.

Friday afternoon at 2 the public is invited to a ribbon cutting ceremony for, which are located in the commuter parking lot at S. Vulcan Ave. and E St.

The new charging stations are part of a national pilot program called The EV Project, which aims to have about 14,000 charging stations throughout the country to promote the use of electric and electric hybrid cars—the biggest effort of its kind in the US.

The San Diego area is one of 18 in the nation that is part of The EV Project, a $230 million public/private initiative that is sponsored partly by the US Department of Energy via the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

San Fransisco-based Electronic Transportation Engineering Corp (ECOtality) will manage all of the sites using its Blink Network technology, which helps drivers find charging stations nearby and is free to download.

Most electric cars take two to three hours to charge, and the hope is that people who use the Encinitas site will be enticed to spend some time downtown shops and restaurants while their cars charge, thereby bolstering the local economy.

“The installation of these public charging stations supports local, regional and national objectives for implementing EV infrastructure to support EV’s role in reducing green house gas,” said Encinitas Mayor Jerome Stocks in a written statement. “The charging stations at the Encinitas commuter parking lot give electric vehicle owners an opportunity to stop, shop, and recharge in beautiful Encinitas.”

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