A Greener Shakopee

Shakopee MN

28 March, 2022

10:04 PM

Description

Press release from the City of Shakopee: March 28, 2022 With the demand for electric vehicles rising and only expected to increase further, Shakopee residents can rest assured they'll never have to travel far to recharge their batteries. The City of Shakopee is installing three electric vehicle (EV) charging stations—one at the Community Center and two in the downtown Lewis Street Parking lot. Each will be a dual port station, meaning it can charge two vehicles at the same time. "Our charging stations will help meet a growing demand," said Michael Kerski, Planning and Development Director. "When folks are considering buying an EV, they also consider the public availability of charging stations nearby." The stations are partially funded by a diesel replacement grant from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and will add to the state's current total of roughly 1,200 charging stations, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. The city's chargers are Level 2 stations, which deliver a faster charge rate at a higher kilowatt rate. The average time to fully charge an EV using a Level 2 charger is three to eight hours, compared to 11-20 hours using a Level 1 charger. Shakopee Public Utilities, which already has a publicly available charging station at its facility, has plans to install additional charging stations around the city, as well. SPU General Manager Greg Drent said the goal is to place them at locations that are already in use by Shakopee residents and regional visitors. SPU is powering these with completely renewable energy. "It's important for convenience for people that have these EVs," Drent said. "People with EVs can also charge them while they're doing fun things in the city." SPU's stations will be at Southbridge Dog Park and at Lions Park, with more planned for the long-term future. "We're trying to do the right thing and have spots for these people to charge up when they're out and about," Drent said. "The more they get used, the more we'll put in." Along with the charging stations, which are expected to be operational by summer, both the city and SPU have invested in electric vehicles to add to their respective fleets. The city received its Ford Mustang Mach-E in the fall and has also purchased a Ford F-150 Lightning, which will be available later this year. These fully electric vehicles have zero tailpipe emissions, which dramatically lowers smog and greenhouse gas emissions even when considering electricity generation. The Mustang Mach-E is capable of traveling about 250 miles on one charge. The city's electrical inspector uses the Mustang Mach-E because he travels the most daily miles of any other city employee, driving across the city to complete various inspections. "From a fuel economy standpoint, all that stopping and going is just horrible for a vehicle, but it's perfect for the electric," Kerski said. Eventually, the city hopes to incorporate more EVs into its fleet, particularly for other inspectors who drive a significant amount of in-town miles. "This is the future of cars, and with fuel becoming a limited resource and increasing in cost, it's a sound financial decision that ultimately pays for itself over time," Kerski said. This press release was produced by the City of Shakopee. The views expressed here are the author's own.