State offers 8 DC Fast Charge stations along Interstate 5
Oregon’s Department of Transportation announced the launch of eight DC fast charge stations in southern Oregon.
Oregon DC Fast Charger locations
In partnership with AeroVironment, electric vehicle (EV) DC fast chargers are up and running in (from North to South) Cottage Grove, Rice Hill, Roseburg, Canyonville, Wolf Creek, Grants Pass, Central Point, and Ashland. Each location hosts a 240 volt charging dock and a 480 volt DC fast charger, which can charge a fully discharged LEAF battery to 80% in under 30 minutes. Spaced at roughly 25 mile intervals, these charge stations will start to provide the convenience of driving longer distances with the advantage of driving without using gasoline as an energy source. Funds were provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. This is the first phase of the West Coast Electric Highway that we have previously written about. Two more stations north of Cottage Grove will be added later this spring.
While all the talk of a West Coast Electric Highway sounds appealing, the actuality is that progress is much slower than anyone could have projected. In our linked article above, Washington state broke ground in December 2011 on their first DC fast charger, but no further word if installation is complete. California, the state of the first Nissan LEAF delivery in the United States over a year ago, is still awaiting the installation of even one DC fast charger as part of the West Coast Electric Highway project by any vendor.
These units in Oregon will be a part of the AV Charging Network which will initially offer use of the equipment at no cost.