Dayton unveils electric car charging

Two new electric car charging stations are available to the public and are free to use with payment of parking fees at the Dayton municipal parking garage on Third Street.

The stations, which were installed in mid-March, were officially unveiled during the city commission meeting Wednesday.

“In making this investment, the city took advantage of a Clean Fuels Ohio grant, which paid for half of the installation,” said Romona Carver with Dayton’s facilities management department.

Clean Fuels Ohio is a nonprofit organization that promotes the use of cleaner domestic fuels and efficient vehicles, according to the organization’s website.

The other 50 percent was from Dayton Power and Light stipulation funds, which the city uses for energy conservation programs, said Brian Taulbee, manager of public affairs.

The stations cost about $10,000 to purchase and install, Taulbee said.

The project is part of the Dayton regional green initiative, according to Taulbee.

Melanie Veneracion, of Louisville, has frequented the Miami Valley since she started a new job in Dayton and said she is looking forward to the new systems.

“As more of the cars are around, I’m sure there will be a greater need, and this is just a start,” Veneracion said. “It’ll bring vitality here and especially in the downtown area.”

Dayton is not the first municipality to install electric vehicle recharging stations.

Centerville installed two charging stations behind the municipal building on Spring Valley Road in March 2013.

Jennifer Wilder, assistant to Centerville city manager Gregory Horn told the Dayton Daily News last month that 67 different vehicles used the station in its first year of existence.

PlugShare.com is a website dedicated to tracking electric car charging stations across the region. In the Miami Valley an estimated 30 stations are available publicly, according to the website.

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