More Greene County cities offering EV charging points

Xenia has joined a growing number of cities in the region offering publicly accessible electric vehicle charging points, as market trends point toward an increase in ownership nationally.

Xenia was awarded $30,000 and is among five Greene County locations that were selected for Ohio EPA grants, including two locations in Fairborn and two in Bellbrook. Fairborn installed one of its two chargers in November at the Shoppes at Valle Green, with the second coming to the Fairborn Library. The money is part of $3.25 million awarded to Ohio counties last year from Volkswagen emission settlement funds Level 2 electric vehicle charging ports at over 170 locations across 22 counties.

In addition to its environmental businesses, Xenia leaders saw it as a benefit for downtown businesses.

“It’s a market trend and an opportunity that we’re responding to,” city planner Brian Forschner said. “For anyone who owns electric vehicles and is shopping downtown, it allows them to go to a shop or a brewery, or restaurant, it gives them an opportunity to come here.”

Publicly available chargers are critical infrastructure as the pool of electric vehicle owners grows. As of 2020, nearly 1.8 million electric vehicles were registered in the nation, more than three times as many as in 2016, according to a report by the International Energy Agency, with nearly 100,000 publicly available chargers nationwide.

The Ohio EPA is currently accepting applications for $7 million in additional grants from both public and private entities for “direct current fast-charging” stations, more powerful chargers that fill up cars in a fraction of the time that a Level 2 charger can. The EPA has ranked counties including Butler and Warren as top priorities for the funds, followed by Greene and Montgomery counties.