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Metro Installing Electric Vehicle Charging Stations at Train Stops

By Chris Clarke
January 3, 2013
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Pretty soon you'll be able to do this at the Park and Ride. | Photo: NCDOTcommunications/Flickr/Creative Commons License

It's going to get a little easier to commute responsibly in Los Angeles, according to Metro, L.A. County's transportation authority: They are is installing four electric vehicle charging stations at five Park-and-Ride facilities starting mid-January.

Charging stations at Union Station and Sierra Madre Villa Station will open to the public in the next couple of weeks, while Willow Station, El Segundo Station, and Universal City Station's chargers will become available by mid-February.

The chargers will be available to members of the public on a subscription basis, with the charging cost running $1 per hour up to a maximum of $3. Transit customers who register at Metro's Electric Vehicle page will receive a smart card they can use to pay for vehicle charging sessions.

The stations, installed by EV Connect, will incorporate 240-volt Level 2 chargers that can charge up to four vehicles at once. Each hour of spent hooked up to a Level 2 charger can add 10-20 miles' worth of charge, depending on the vehicle. Should a motorist park for a long enough time at one of the Park and Ride stations to fully charge her vehicle, the station will send her a text message.

Metro representatives say this marks the first time a transit agency has directly incorporated EV charging stations as part of its transit system.

The pilot project wil run through the end of 2013.

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