The Plains Gets its First EV Charging Station

The Plains now has a place for drivers to charge their electric vehicles – and it will be free for at least the next 6 months.

This dual port, level 2 EV Charging Station is open to the public between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. seven days a week. Users must have a Chargepoint app, which is free to download. Rural Action is offering this service free for the first six months to encourage adoption but plans to re-evaluate usage at that point and might change to a pay-per-charge model.

“This is the first EV Charging Station in The Plains and is an important step forward in Rural Action’s efforts to prepare our rural communities for the transition to electric vehicles,” says Sarah Conley-Ballew, Rural Action’s Director of Sustainable Energy Solutions.

“Locating charging infrastructure in various locations in the county enables rural residents to charge up closer to home and attracts EV owners from distant places to stop and explore a new community while charging,” Sarah says.

There are EV Charging Stations throughout the city of Athens, with level 2 charging stations at Ohio University, the Athens Public Library, and at several businesses around town. There is also a DC Fast Charge Station at the Athens Community Center available for public use around the clock.

The Plains station was installed with funding from AEP Ohio’s EVSE Rebate Incentive Program, as well as an anonymous donor who is a resident of the Plains. PK Electric installed the station. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is slated to take place on Friday, Feb. 25 at 10 a.m. This event is free and open to the public.

How long will it take to charge your car? According to Chargepoint, Level 2 charging adds about 25 miles of Range Per Hour (RPH). This means that the time to fully charge an EV with a 100-mile Battery is 4-5 hours. Typically, most drivers don’t charge their vehicle from empty to full at a public charging station. Most opt to fully charge at home and “top off” during the day.