The town of Breckenridge is fueling efforts to support more sustainable transportation alternatives.
The town installed an electric vehicle charging station for public use earlier this week. The level-two station will give residents and visitors alike five free hours to charge their cars or other electric vehicles.
The fully operational station is available at Breckenridge Town Hall, 150 Ski Hill Rd., and is the only level-two EV station in the mountain region. It provides charging capabilities for all types of electric vehicles.
James Phelps, public works assistant director, said he was excited to offer this new service to the community.
“We heard from folks there was interest in doing a project like this,” he said. “Having an electric charging station available will really connect the mountain corridor.”
The fast, 240-volt AC charge is known as level-two charging. The station resembles a small, stand-alone gas pump with one handle. A bright green sign painted on the paved area at the station reads, “EV Charging Only.” There are a variety of all-electric cars and plug-in hybrids available in the U.S. Some cars can fully recharge in as little as three or four hours, and can travel 70 to 100 miles on one charge. The average American spends more than $2,000 ever year on gas, while the annual operating cost for an electric car is closer to $600.
The nearest level-two station to the east is in Evergreen; the nearest to the west is in Carbondale.
A Regional Air Quality Council and Colorado Energy Office grant, as well as town funds, provided the money for the new Breckenridge station.
Phelps said town hall was chosen as the location because of its maximum exposure and access. He said while there are only a handful of electric cars in Summit County currently, he hopes the new station will help out travelers as well.
“The town hall site is so central and is already defined on any maps,” he said. “Ultimately we determined to install it there because of that.”
As the town continues to expand its vehicle pool, Phelps said this new electric charging station provides great opportunity to add more hybrid or electric cars to the fleet.
“It’s a win-win,” he said. “It can draw more individuals up to Summit County and so hopefully in the future more stations will be developed.”
Courtesy of the Summit Daily News.
