MADISON – As part of the government’s efforts to move to cleaner energy sources and promote the use of zero-emission cars, the first universal electric car chargers were installed in the Connecticut service area.
A rest stop on Interstate 95 south in Madison, between exits 61 and 62, is home to two new universal charging stations for electric vehicles, which were unveiled on Friday.
The stations will be the first of many to be installed in public car parks or service sites in the coming months, said State Transport Commissioner Joe Juliet.
A series of universal chargers will be installed at I-95 and I-395 service centers over the next few weeks, Juliet said. Chargers will also be added to locations in New Canaan, Greenwich and Fairfield over the next few weeks, he said.
“We want to do everything we can to make it environmentally responsible and to be good stewards of society’s money,” Juliet said. “Motorists will no longer have to search the back roads and redirect their GPA to find a universal charger. Families and travelers can quickly stop, recharge, grab a snack or coffee and return to their destination and enjoy their summer plans. “
Other charging stations will be added in the summer, according to a DOT statement.
The stations were privately funded by Applegreen Electric, an Irish company that has been around for three decades and first launched services in the United States in 2014, according to Applegreen CEO Eugene Moore.
“This program aims to deploy 100% coverage of squares in Connecticut,” Moore said. “We started this in 2014 and learned a lot of lessons along the way, and one thing we know for sure is that this is the way of the future.”
Madison Service Square is home to the first universal open access charger installed by Applegreen in the state, he said.
For the average electric vehicle, a full charge can travel over 300 miles, Moore said. The better the mileage, the slower the car.
“There are about 400 different EV models on the market. There are about 80 of them available in the United States, “Moore said. “If you’re driving on the highway and you’re 70, that’s fine. If you travel from 80 to 90, it becomes a little less effective.
“Of course, in the city very effectively,” he said. “If you drive 300 miles, you drive at least three hours and you have to fill your stomach or empty your bladder, or both.”
The service area in Madison was chosen because it has the necessary amount of energy and space for the transformer to operate the charging stations, Moore said. For other rest stops, the transformers will be updated and space will be freed up for charging ports.
First-come, first-served charging stations cost about $ 0.35 per kilowatt and require a credit card, according to the statement. The stations can fully charge most electric vehicles in about 30 minutes and offer two types of level three charger holders to ensure that all electric vehicles are covered and compatible.
Tesla-specific chargers are now available at many service centers in Connecticut, including the Madison Vacation Home.
Electric cars not only save the consumer hundreds of dollars a year in fuel costs, but also reduce carbon emissions from the electric option, said Energy and Environment Commissioner Katie Dykes.
“Increasing the deployment of EV in our country is a key component of our strategy to achieve our goals of greenhouse gas emissions and climate change mitigation before it’s too late,” Dykes said.
“The transportation sector is responsible for most of our greenhouse gas emissions – 38 percent – and 66 percent of nitrous oxide emissions, a significant contribution to harmful air pollution in our state. A key aspect of consumers’ perception of electric vehicles will be ease of use, easy access to charging infrastructure and the ability to charge quickly. “