Site search
sponsored by
News
Despite the drop in gas prices, support for electrical vehicles remains strong, with six local businesses now featuring free charging stations.
Charging stations, popping up here and elsewhere across the nation, allow electric vehicle owners to plug in and recharge while running errands around town.
“Businesses are still signing up to be charging stations. I think that says a lot about our community,” said Jaspen Amodeo, a member of Electric Vehicle Alliance of Nevada County.
The region’s first power station was started at Nevada City’s Miners Foundry this summer. Since then, five more businesses have followed and include: Xtremely Green at 734 East Main St. in Grass Valley, Magickal Florist at 821 Zion St. in Nevada City, Hills Flat Lumber at 380 Railroad Ave. in Grass Valley, Summer Thyme’s Bakery and Deli at 421 Colfax Ave. in Grass Valley and Siteline Architecture at 644 Zion St. in Nevada City.
Local residents such as Amodeo bought her electric vehicle, built by Zenn Motor Co., this summer when gas prices skyrocketed to more than $4 a gallon. The small car with top speeds of 35 mph gets about 20 miles per charge. On a full charge, Amodeo can travel from her North Bloomfield home to the Raley’s shopping center in Grass Valley or the Nevada County Fairgrounds and back.
By offering charging stations, business owners can attract shoppers who often require 30 minutes to an hour to plug in and recharge their vehicles.
“If I need to get hardware, I’ll go to Hills Flat because I can get power there,” Amodeo said.
Business owners typically pay 14 cents per hour to provide the service, Amodeo said. Vehicle owners plug in their cars much like they would a lamp at home. A window decal and aluminum signs mark the presence of a charging station.
While it is difficult to gauge how many electrical vehicle drivers there are in town, as many as 75 people have contributed news and messages to the alliance’s online users group at Yahoo.
The Internet link is autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/EVAllianceNevadaCounty.
At a meeting held in Pioneer Park this August, 24 people turned out to share their enthusiasm or learn more about the fossil fuel-free cars.
To contact Staff Writer Laura Brown, e-mail lbrown@theunion.com or call 477-4231.
Charging stations, popping up here and elsewhere across the nation, allow electric vehicle owners to plug in and recharge while running errands around town.
“Businesses are still signing up to be charging stations. I think that says a lot about our community,” said Jaspen Amodeo, a member of Electric Vehicle Alliance of Nevada County.
The region’s first power station was started at Nevada City’s Miners Foundry this summer. Since then, five more businesses have followed and include: Xtremely Green at 734 East Main St. in Grass Valley, Magickal Florist at 821 Zion St. in Nevada City, Hills Flat Lumber at 380 Railroad Ave. in Grass Valley, Summer Thyme’s Bakery and Deli at 421 Colfax Ave. in Grass Valley and Siteline Architecture at 644 Zion St. in Nevada City.
Local residents such as Amodeo bought her electric vehicle, built by Zenn Motor Co., this summer when gas prices skyrocketed to more than $4 a gallon. The small car with top speeds of 35 mph gets about 20 miles per charge. On a full charge, Amodeo can travel from her North Bloomfield home to the Raley’s shopping center in Grass Valley or the Nevada County Fairgrounds and back.
By offering charging stations, business owners can attract shoppers who often require 30 minutes to an hour to plug in and recharge their vehicles.
“If I need to get hardware, I’ll go to Hills Flat because I can get power there,” Amodeo said.
Business owners typically pay 14 cents per hour to provide the service, Amodeo said. Vehicle owners plug in their cars much like they would a lamp at home. A window decal and aluminum signs mark the presence of a charging station.
While it is difficult to gauge how many electrical vehicle drivers there are in town, as many as 75 people have contributed news and messages to the alliance’s online users group at Yahoo.
The Internet link is autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/EVAllianceNevadaCounty.
At a meeting held in Pioneer Park this August, 24 people turned out to share their enthusiasm or learn more about the fossil fuel-free cars.
To contact Staff Writer Laura Brown, e-mail lbrown@theunion.com or call 477-4231.
