COURTESY PHOTOS
Saugus’ two new electric cars parked in front of the charging station.
By BRIDGET TURCOTTE
SAUGUS — The town opened a new charging station, which residents can use, and invested in two new electric cars.
The ChargePoint Charging Station has a Level-2 charger, which falls between a DC Fast Charger, which can charge a vehicle for up to 40 miles of use in about 10 minutes, and a Level-1 charger, which is essentially plugging the car into a household outlet. A Level-1 charger takes about 22 hours to fully charge a car battery, according to PlugInAmerica.org.
The station is located at the Department of Public Works at 515 Main St. and is free for residents.
The Department of Public Works and Parking Enforcement Department personnel will also be sporting new, electric vehicles while on the job.
With grant funding, the town purchased two electric 2016 Nissan Leaf S Hatchbacks and installed a charging station for a total cost of about $53,000.
The town received $22,500 for the investment through Phase III of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s Electric Vehicles Incentive Program (MassEVIP). The remaining cost was covered by Green Community grant funding.
The five-passenger electric vehicles have a battery range of about 84 to 107 miles and take about four hours to charge fully on a Level-2 charger.
“This investment in electric vehicles will help continue our progress towards greater energy conservation and cleaner energy within the community,” said Town Manager Scott Crabtree. “I am proud that the Town of Saugus has taken these important steps towards becoming a more environmentally friendly community by developing these clean cars and helping the State achieve its climate goals.”
Crabtree added that the use of the vehicles will help provide energy security, improve fuel economy, lower fuel costs, and reduce emissions.
Bridget Turcotte can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @BridgetTurcotte