2,500 Electric Vehicle Charging Stations for Seattle

Electric cars in Seattle will soon have plenty of places to recharge

Infrastructure for electric cars in the City of Seattle, Washington just got a huge boost!  A $100 million federal grant to the Electric Transportation Engineering Corporation (eTec) will help pay for 2,500 electric vehicle charging stations in the region, to be constructed starting next year.  The Emerald City (as Seattle is fondly known) is one of 5 cities to receive this important funding.

Because much of the electricity generated in the Pacific Northwest comes from hydro-power, instead of coal, Seattle is considered to be an ideal location for EV investment and experiments.  However, industry analysts agree that many issues remain to be worked out – from potentially overloading the grid when commuters return and plug their cars in again – to sourcing of the lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles.

Who pays for the electricity is also a question. Currently, the cost of recharging is relatively low, and is shouldered by the County at its existing recharging stations.  But, as more electric vehicles start hitting the road, demand will increase, as well as costs.  Drivers may be asked to pitch in, eventually.

The new Nissan Leaf 100% electric vehicle

Lest you wonder whether there are enough people that drive electric vehicles to use the new charging stations, think again.  In the King County region, there are already over 600 EVs, and Seattle has the nation’s largest chapter of the Electric Vehicle Association.

And, if you build it, they will come!  You need to have charging stations for drivers of electric cars to use.  With better infrastructure, the number of EVs in the region will undoubtedly climb.

The new 220-volt electric vehicle charging stations will be constructed in participating consumers’ garages.  Already, the region has 39 charging stations at existing park-and-ride lots.  However, at 110-volts, it will take longer to recharge than at the new charging stations.

Driving an electric vehicle is considerably less expensive than a gasoline-powered car.  For example, if you drove the new Nissan Leaf 10,000 miles, your cost would be approximately $190 (2 cents per mile).  The average miles per gallon of gasoline for other cars is 25 mpg.  So, in order to travel the same 10,000 miles at a cost of $2.76 per gallon would run you about $1,100!

Preparing the infrastructure for the influx of new electric cars that will hit the markets next year, Seattle is planning ahead.  Driving green in the Emerald City will soon be more convenient and cost-effective!