Mesa drivers now have access to eight electric vehicle charging stations in the city. The new Blink chargers were installed in October and are located at three city facilities including the Main Public Library, 64 E. 1st St.; Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St.; and Mesa Convention Center, 263 N. Center St.
“We believe it’s important to provide infrastructure that might encourage people to invest in technology like electric vehicles,” Mesa Mayor Scott Smith said in a release.
The new charger installation is part of the national EV Project, a $230 million public-private partnership to install electric vehicle charging infrastructure in test markets throughout the country. ECOtality, Inc. has been contracted by the U.S. Department of Energy to install the charging stations. Each station can recharge a fully depleted electric vehicle battery in four to six hours.
Users must first sign up for membership on the Blink network. Charging costs are set by ECOtality and are expected to run between $1 and $2 per hour based on the Blink membership level, a release states.
Beauford posted at 3:30 am on Tue, Nov 13, 2012.
A $230 million public-private partnership ? Private Investments ? I bet this is all public tax dollars going into someone's pocket. If electric cars and solar panels are such a great idea, why isn't everyone buying them ? Our Congressmen need to stop lining their rich friends pockets for a free steak dinner and let the system of supply and demand run itself.
jezzabella posted at 7:43 am on Tue, Nov 13, 2012.
Beauford: Infrastructure needs to be in place before people buy electric vehicles. As for solar panels, many people have them. And how could you live in this valley and NOT see that electric vehicles would improve the air quality? It always amazes me how people kick and scream about progress.
Suziehaystack819 posted at 9:43 am on Tue, Nov 13, 2012.
It takes power plant pollution to power these cars. most are coal powered.
downtownresident posted at 11:01 am on Tue, Nov 13, 2012.
Beauford,
What would you have had to complain about today, if this report had not been published?
My guess is that you would have never known of their existence, since I also guess that you never visit any of the places where the charging stations are installed.[beam]
There's also a charging station in a public, surface lot in downtown Mesa, north of Main Street.
Can you find it?
Engaged Voter posted at 11:14 am on Tue, Nov 13, 2012.
Suziehaystack819 is a troll, but she is correct here - the power for these vehicles is generated using the same fossil fuels that power our homes.
Jezzabella, I understand your viewpoint, but more than infrastructure is needed...I don't know anyone, myself included, who can afford to take 4-6 hours a DAY to fuel a vehicle. Do you?
VofReason posted at 12:39 pm on Tue, Nov 13, 2012.
This is fantastic. One power station for each electric car. Green energy is so cool.
VofReason posted at 1:19 pm on Tue, Nov 13, 2012.
Remember the good old days when a good idea sold itself? Now you have to give people a bunch of money to buy in to the "good" idea of electric cars. I wonder how much money Henry Ford had to pay people to buy his cars?