KCP&L Announces 1,000 Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
04 Feb, 2015
Kansas City Power & Light Co. (KCP&L), a subsidiary of Great Plains Energy Inc. (NYSE: GXP), recently announced its plans to install and operate more than 1,000 electric vehicle charging stations.
The development will be the largest electric vehicle charging station installation by an electric utility in the United States. KCP&L’s Clean Charge Network is the next step in the company’s leadership in environmental sustainability.
During the next several months, KCP&L will install more than 1,000 charging stations throughout the Greater Kansas City region. This network of stations will be capable of supporting more than 10,000 electric vehicles. Through partnerships with companies at host locations and with Nissan Motor Co., the Clean Charge Network will offer free charging on every station to all drivers for the first two years. The stations are manufactured by ChargePoint and will be part of the ChargePoint network of more than 20,000 charging spots in North America.
The charging stations will be installed strategically throughout KCP&L’s service region, ensuring there will be a charging station near where electric vehicle owners live and work.
“We are committed to the electric vehicle industry and want to give residents and visitors the ability to join the electric vehicle revolution, says Terry Bassham, president and CEO of Great Plains Energy and KCP&L. “As a utility, we will place the stations where they’re needed most and support them as part of our electric grid, leveraging our expertise with electrical infrastructure. Our Clean Charge Network eliminates ‘range anxiety’ in the region, which is the number one roadblock to greater electric vehicle adoption. Now, electric vehicle owners will have an answer to the question, ‘Where do I recharge my vehicle?’”
Installation of the charging stations began in late 2014 and will be completed this summer. The first stations deployed on the network will include 15 fast charging stations provided by Nissan and KCP&L, which will charge any model of electric vehicle on the market.
On the fast charging stations, an electric vehicle like the Nissan LEAF will charge from empty to approximately 80 percent in about 30 minutes. In addition, the Clean Charge Network will have more than 1,000 standard charging stations, which will give most electric vehicles a 25-mile charge for every hour it is plugged into the station.
Source: KCP&L
Image: Allison Long, Kansas City Star
