Yesterday evening, Connecticut Energy Commissioner Daniel Etsy, along with other state officials at the EVConnecticut Expo in Middletown, announced an exciting plan to dramatically improve the state’s relationship with electric vehicles.
According to the announcement, $200,000 in state funds will be allocated to build new, convenient charging stations across the state to expand the extant network of public sites available to recharge an electric car.
For the time being, commercially available electric cars can typically travel around 150 miles per charge, which is, on average, about half that of a conventional gasoline engine.
State officials cite the current paucity of charging stations as a leading explanation for the relatively low number of electric vehicles in Connecticut, despite the substantial federal tax credits awarded for their purchasers.
Hopefully, the new initiative to grow the number of charging locations will encourage more residents to join the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and the Department of Transportation in their endeavor to find a way to make our transportation needs more sustainable and environmentally friendly.
Currently, there are 81 charging stations in our 5,543 square mile state, but the new allotment expects to raise that number to 200 by the year’s end. To see the current layout of charging stations regionally, follow this link.
If you already own an EV, the state government is eager to make Connecticut a better place to drive one, and if you don’t, 2013 might be a perfect time to buy.
