DUBLIN, OH – To meet the growing market interest in alternative fuel vehicles, the City of Dublin has recently installed two Level 2 electric vehicle charging stations at the Dublin Community Recreation Center (DCRC). The stations will be available to Dublin Recreation Center patrons and visitors free of charge during DCRC operational hours.

According to Dublin Fleet Manager Darryl Syler, these stations were made possible through a 50% matching grant from Clean Fuels Ohio. The total cost of both units, including installation, was $28,400, with Clean Fuels Ohio reimbursing $14,200 of this total back to the City.  

The City will provide free public use of the charging stations due to the fact the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio prohibits non-utilities from selling electricity to the public. Costs to charge a vehicle will vary based on the type of vehicle and the duration of the charge. For example, a Nissan Leaf, which pulls 3.3 KW/hour, would cost $.2590/hour to charge, based on the DCRC’s average KW/hour cost of $.0785.   

Syler said these stations will help accommodate residents who have purchased or plan to purchase an electric vehicle.  While electric vehicles are currently a small percentage of the car market in Ohio, numerous manufacturers are already producing electric vehicles or have an electric vehicle planned for production in 2013, and the market is expected to grow substantially in the coming years.

The City does not currently have any electric vehicles in its fleet. However, it has 44 compressed natural gas vehicles, which helped the City fleet earn Clean Fuels Ohio's designation as an Ohio Clean Fleet.