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Elmwood Park installs electric-car charging stations
There hasn't been much demand yet for the two electric-vehicle charging stations Elmwood Park officials installed in the village with the help of a grant. | David Pollard~Sun-Times Media
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Updated: February 15, 2013 10:34AM
ELMWOOD PARK — Village officials saw an opportunity to become more enviromentally friendly, and jumped at it.
They recently used a grant to install two elecric-vehicle charging stations in the village.
The charging stations aren’t going to let anyone with an electric-vehicle cruise around for free - residents must register their vehicles, and can only use the charging stations for up to four hours, far less than is normally required for a full recharge.
But Elmwood Park Village President Peter Silvestri said the EV charging stations are just a positive addition to the efforts to improve the environment. “It’s another step to become a greener community,” he said.
The two stations opened about two months ago. One is located behind village hall, 11 Conti Parkway; the other is in the village hall parking lot, next to the firehouse.
Elmwood Park Village Manager Paul Volpe said residents using electric cars or plug-in hybrids that run on electricity and gasoline must register their vehicle with the village before using the charging station. They will receive a permit and it must be displayed during the charging session.
Volpe said at the present there isn’t much demand for using the charging station, but hopes that changes once the word gets out about it. “We certainly want to participate in the effort for more alternative fuel methods for cars,” he said.
Use of the charging station is available to village residents 24 hours a day, but there is that four-hour-per-visit maximum. Also, reservations must be made with the village to use the charger and are taken on a first-come, first served basis.
Silvestri encourages residents to take advantage of it.
The idea behind the charging stations was that it “encourages residents to switch to using an electric vehicle and even if some don’t, having it available certainly helps improve the environment,” he said.
For more information on the EV charging station, call 708-452-7300.
