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Maryland Department of the Environment

MDE kicks-off National Drive Electric Week in Frederick County

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Jay Apperson

(410) 537-3003
jay.apperson@maryland.gov

MDE kicks-off National Drive Electric Week in Frederick County

Baltimore, MD (September 14, 2015) –  Maryland Department of the Environment Secretary Ben Grumbles kicked off National Drive Electric Week today by speaking at a ceremony celebrating the  installation of two electric vehicle chargers at a Frederick County convenience store. MDE, in partnership with the Maryland Energy Administration, is also working to make EV charging more convenient by upgrading charging stations at the department’s headquarters in Baltimore.

The event today at the Royal Farms store in Urbana marked the installation of two DC Fast Chargers (Level 3 Fast Chargers) at the site. DC Fast Chargers can recharge an electric vehicle (EV) to 80 percent of its capacity in about 20 minutes. A company that owns several power plants, as part of a multistate settlement to help settle an alleged violation, provided half of the $80,000 cost of the charging station at the Royal Farms Urbana, and Royal Farms is paying for the other half. In all, $1 million from the settlement along with another $1 million from private partners is paying for the installation of 21 dual standard DC Fast Chargers across Maryland. Combined with the current stations deployed across the state, there will be at least one fast charge station in 15 of Maryland’s 23 counties and in Baltimore City.

With the help of a grant from the MEA, MDE recently upgraded two EV charging stations at its headquarters in the Montgomery Park Business Center.  The new chargers each provide two charging connectors for faster, Level 2 charging capabilities. Level 2 chargers are able to fully charge battery electric vehicles in about four hours and plug-in hybrids in about two to four hours, depending on battery size. The Level 2 chargers are capable of charging an EV three to five times faster than the existing Level 1 chargers, depending on the vehicle specifications. This brings the total of Level 2 chargers at the Montgomery Park facility to 12.

“Electric vehicles make a big difference in our race to clean the air,” MDE Secretary Ben Grumbles said.  “Maryland is a leader in promoting electric vehicles and the network of infrastructure to charge vehicles whenever and wherever citizens desire. We have a ways to go, but with strong public private partnerships and smart investments we can charge ahead with cleaner, greener and easier options for all Marylanders.”

Electric vehicles produce zero direct emissions from their tailpipe, reducing greenhouse gases and assisting Maryland in meeting its air quality goals and protecting the health of its citizens. Maryland is leading the charge to make electric vehicle charging stations more accessible. Through the Transportation Climate Initiative, Maryland and other East Coast states are working collaboratively to ensure development of a robust charging station network along the Interstate 95 corridor that will permit long-distance travel in electric cars throughout the region.

National Drive Electric Week (September 12-20) is a nationwide celebration intended to heighten awareness of the present day, widespread availability of plug-in vehicles and to highlight the benefits of all-electric and plug-in hybrid-electric cars, trucks, motorcycles, and more.

 

CORE FACTS:

  • Maryland has seen a large increase in sales of plug-in hybrids and full electric vehicles from 2011 (178 purchased) to 2014 (1,100 purchased).
  • Collectively Maryland, California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont are committed to having at least 3.3 million zero emissions vehicles operating on their roadways by 2025.
  • There are currently more than 560 public facilities to charge electric vehicles in Maryland.
  • Fueling your car with electricity is about three times less expensive than fueling with gasoline.
  • Electric vehicles require no oil changes and have 10 times fewer moving parts than a gasoline-powered car.
  • Maryland offers a variety of incentives to purchase plug-in vehicles, including tax credits, grants, and vouchers.

For more information on Maryland’s electric vehicle programs and initiatives see the following additional links:

 

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