Electric vehicle charging stations now open

With the ceremonial cutting of a gas hose, a new era in Redmond began. With energy advocates, local officials and Redmond High School environmental students in attendance, the first Level II charging stations for electric vehicles opened today at Redmond City Hall. Also on hand to address the audience was U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee, a longtime environmental advocate, a member of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and founder of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC).

January 13, 2011 7:30 pm
U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee (left) and Redmond Mayor John Marchione cut the ceremonial gas hose as Jim Blaisedell of Charge Northwest holds the gas pump. The event kicked off the opening four electric vehicle charging stations in Redmond
U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee (left) and Redmond Mayor John Marchione cut the ceremonial gas hose as Jim Blaisedell of Charge Northwest holds the gas pump. The event kicked off the opening four electric vehicle charging stations in Redmond

With the ceremonial cutting of a gas hose, a new era in Redmond began.

With energy advocates, local officials and Redmond High School environmental students in attendance, the first Level II charging stations for electric vehicles opened today at Redmond City Hall.

Also on hand to address the audience was U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee, a longtime environmental advocate, a member of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and founder of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC).

Representative Inslee commended the City of Redmond in stepping forward to help break the country’s addiction to foreign oil.

“When 60 percent of the nation’s cars are electric – that will be the same as getting 82 million cars off the road, thereby cutting our CO2 emissions by one-third,” stated Inslee.

“These charging stations are two of four built in Redmond by Coulomb Technologies under the ChargePoint America Program,” stated Mayor John Marchione. “This $37 million program is funded in part through a grant from the United States Department of Energy as part of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA).”

All four charging stations are wirelessly connected to the national ChargePoint Network. People have access through a driver portal downloadable to any mobile device. Drivers can search for ChargePoint along travel maps, request charging stations, schedule charging stations, view and generate reports on their charging history and sign up for E-mail notification alerts.

At the ceremony’s conclusion, the charging station was demonstrated by inserting a special key fob and plugging in a car. Inslee then mixed with the students, answering their questions and discussing his work to help the environment in the U.S. Congress.