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Grand Marais installed two electric car chargers in the city hall parking lot. The chargers won’t be up and running until mid-July. The cost for a 30-minute fast charging will be about $14 and $6 to $10 for the slow charger. Staff photo Brian Larsen
Jeff Eliasen and Matt Bronikowski have been busy installing two snazzy-looking electric vehicle chargers in the southwest corner of the city hall parking lot.
The two city employees said the chargers would be up and running in the very near future.
The EVSE or electric vehicle supply equipment is provided by Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency (SMMPA) to expand EV charging power in their territory. Grand Marais was given two 23kW L2 chargers and the city will be responsible for maintaining them.
It will cost about $14 per vehicle to be charged from the fast charger and $12 for the slow (2-3 hours) charger. Fees will be collected through a network connection through ZEF’s online portal: ZETNet, which is connected to ChargeHub, which will allow the city staff to control energy output and set up the payment system.
Climate Action/Greensteps Coordinator Shane Steele said there would also be a credit card machine similar to those found at self-serve gas pumps.
Across the state, more and more of these EV chargers are being installed. According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune June 12 article, there are now EV owners in every county in Minnesota.
In November 2020, through bipartisan support, the Minnesota legislature included $2 million in the bonding bill to install EV infrastructure on state-owned property.
Last September, Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency (SMMPA) approved installing charging stations for electric vehicles (EV) to every member community. Grand Marais is one of the eighteen members that purchase electricity from SMMPA.
SMMPA purchased the chargers from ZEF Energy; the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency selected to install charging stations as part of the Volkswagen settlement.
Member utilities lead the local process of selecting sites for charging stations, balancing the needs of visibility and parking near retailers.
Arrowhead Electric has two chargers in Lutsen, next to Clearview General Store and one at Grand Portage Lodge and Casino.
Cost to develop the stations runs from $10,000 to $15,000, with each location’s site preparation and supporting infrastructure unique.
As more drivers realize their automobiles are the number one emitters of carbon emissions in Minnesota, they are choosing to purchase electric cars.
Electric cars not only reduce harmful emissions, but they also 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 (EV’s) will make up 65 to 75 percent of all new light-duty vehicle sales.
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