Seven electric vehicle chargers have been installed throughout Camden County, including two at Camden County College’s Cherry Hill campus, which were unveiled recently.
“Similar to the iPhone and the iPad, the electric vehicle is the wave of our future,” said Freeholder Jeffrey Nash, liaison to the Camden County Division of Environmental Affairs. “It is not only cost effective, but it’s important for our environment.”
A matching grant of $30,000 from the U.S. Department of Energy is being used to fund the $60,000 project, according to a county release.
Camden County entered into a pilot cost-sharing program with ECOtality North America to install the stations, according to Nash.
“We’re seeing more people are buying these electric vehicles. Camden County is meeting the needs of Camden County residents and municipalities by offering this free service,” said Chris Waldron, county director of sustainability. “We’re ahead of the curve.”
The additional six charging stations can be found at the Camden County Boathouse at Cooper River, the Camden County Technical School in Gloucester Township, the South County Regional Branch Library in Winslow Township, the Bellmawr Branch Library and Camden County College’s campuses in Gloucester Township and Camden City.
Residents are able to use the charging stations free of charge.
According to freeholder Michelle Gentek, the charging stations allow municipalities to purchase electric vehicles. Gloucester Township currently has seven electric vehicles in use.
“It’s so great the county is supplying municipalities to go green,” Gentek said.
According to the release, electric vehicles are seen as a key to meeting the new fuel-efficiency standards for 54.5 miles per gallon by model year 2025. To date, about 100,000 plug-in cars have been sold in the U.S. and all the new charging stations are recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy.
Steve Oliver, of Berwyn, Pa., made the trip to Cherry Hill in his hybrid gas/electric car for the launch of the stations.
He’s owned his Chevy Volt for approximately a year and a half, netting more than 27,000 miles on it and only using about 50 gallons of gas to date.
According to Oliver, he is able to get 50 miles on a charge, which takes about two to three hours to achieve when plugged in at the stations. At home, his charging takes about eight to 10 hours.
“I’m averaging about 540 miles to every gallon of gas I have,” Oliver said. “This car has an engine in it, but it has a pretty large battery. I drove down here on the back roads. I plugged in when I got here. I’ll go to Philly and plug in and not have to pay a dime. That’s great.”
According to Oliver, the secret to being green is being married to the idea.
“You just have to be in the right mindset,” he said.
According to Brian Gemberling of Calvi Electric Company, which installed the stations through ECOtality, electric vehicles are on the forefront of the green movement.
“It’s spreading across Pennsylvania and New Jersey,” Gemberling said. “People are starting to recognize a real need for them.”
The long-term goal is to get people thinking differently, which cannot be done without proper infrastructure, Gamberling said.
“Camden County is doing their part to get people to switch,” he said. “People aren’t going to feel comfortable buying these cars if it’s an inconvenience to charge.”
According to Gemberling, Atlantic and Gloucester counties have charging stations as well.
“Camden County looked at it and said ‘let’s do it for our residents,’” Gemberling said. “We’re proud to be a part of it.”
For more information on the charging stations, visit www.camdencounty.com or the U.S. Department of Energy at www.afdc.energy.gov/locator/stations/.
