Drivers will soon be able to recharge their electric vehicles along stretches of I-5 and U.S. 2.
The Washington state Department of Transportation announced Wednesday that AeroVironment, a Monrovia, Calif.-based compan
y, has been chosen to install and operate a network of nine fast-charging stations.
The goal is to have the stations in operation by Nov. 30, said Tonia Buell, spokeswoman for the Department of Transportation. Drivers will have easy highway access to the charging stations, Buell added.
“They will be found in parking lots and outlet malls and major retail centers,” she said. “They’ll be where people want to spend some time and will be well-lit and safe, with access to restrooms and drinking water.”
The charging stations are to be installed every 40 to 60 miles along I-5 between Everett and the Canadian border and between Olympia and the Oregon border. Stations are also set to be installed between Everett and Leavenworth on U.S 2. Fast-charging stations will be able to fully charge an electric vehicle’s batteries in less than 30 minutes. Level 2 “medium speed” charging stations, which cost less but require up to four to six hours for a full charge, will also be part of the stations.
AeroVironment was one of six companies that submitted proposals to the Transportation Department on a budget of $1 million, Buell said.
“They submitted the strongest proposal,” she said. “They not only supplied more than the minimum fast chargers that we wanted, but they also are providing the level 2 electrical supply equipment.”
The Oregon Department of Transportation announced in June that AeroVironment, under a $700,000 federal stimulus grant, will build eight fast-charging stations between Eugene, Ore., and California on I-5. Additional charging stations are also set to be installed between Everett and Olympia through a project administered by the U.S. Department of Energy. The federal project aims to install electric charging stations throughout six states.
Amy Daybert: 425-339-3491; adaybert@heraldnet.com.
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