Two solar-powered electric car charging stations were opened today in St. Paul’s Como Park.
Mayor Chris Coleman and Rep. Betty McCollum unveiled the stations today.
One is at McMurray Field and one is near the Como Pavilion. Officials say they are the first solar-powered car charges in Minnesota. The cost is $1 per hour for charging, and officials said it takes three to four hours to fully charge a depleted car battery.
There are several other car-charging stations around the city.
The city now has four electric vehicles in its fleet.
At the unveiling ceremony, Coleman said:
“Having these charging stations located in a regional destination like Como Park is a good fit for the demand we’ve seen from our environmentally conscious users. The electric-car industry is growing, and Saint Paul is ready. We are paving the way for a sustainable future, and will continue to lay the infrastructure for electric vehicles across the metro.”
The solar-powered stations cost $35,000 per unit; 60 percent of the cost came from federal stimulus money; Xcel Energy and the City of St. Paul each paid about 20 percent of the cost for solar installations, charging stations and four electric vehicles.
Two Cities blog, which covers Minneapolis and St. Paul City Halls, is made possible in part by grants from The Saint Paul Foundation and the Carolyn Foundation.
