As more drivers realize their automobiles are the number one emitters of carbon emissions in the state of Minnesota, they are turning to purchase electric cars.
Electric cars not only reduce harmful emissions, they are quieter than vehicles with internal combustion engines, cost less to run, have more top end torque and come with all of the bells and whistles of combustion engine cars.
And, because of their popularity and advancements in extending battery life, they are coming down in price and affordability. Some predict that by 2050, electric vehicles (EVs) will make up 65 to 75 percent of all new light-duty vehicle sales.
One major sticking point, however, is that many rural areas lack electric car charging stations.
That changed this past April in Cook County when several electric car charging stations were put in.
Until April of this year, someone from the Twin Cities driving to Grand Portage in an EV with a range of about 350 miles before needing to be plugged in and recharged, would do one of two things upon arriving there – either set up housekeeping and find a new job or get towed to an electric car charger.
A partnership that began in October 2017 is now bearing fruit, if not in profits but in good will for the four entities that chose to work together to bring electric car chargers to the North Shore.
To date, three direct current fast chargers (DCFC) sites are open in Grand Portage and in Lutsen, with plans to bring electric vehicle chargers to Grand Marais. Each of those sites is also equipped with level 2 charging available.
Partners in this nonprofit venture are Arrowhead Cooperative, Great River Energy, City of Grand Marais and SEF Energy.
Cost to develop the stations runs from $10,000 to $15,000, with each location’s site preparation and supporting infrastructure varying.
Challenges
Yusef Orest, member services manager at Arrowhead Electric, said that when approached, local business owners were both excited and enthusiastic to offer their locations as host sites.
And, he noted, one of the biggest tasks was making sure that where the electric car chargers were placed was fair to everybody, and as the four partners learned, there were some land issues to deal with in finding suitable places to install the chargers.
Also, how do you get your board of directors, city council or your membership to back a project that has some expenses but no income? People are allowed to plug their electric cars in and “fill” for free.
Now in its third year of a seven-year pilot project, the next step is to find a suitable location to install electric vehicle chargers in the city of Grand Marais.
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