Permanent EV chargers are planned for two city parks and Albright College’s campus. The mobile chargers will help the city evaluate whether there is demand for permanent EV chargers at that location. ![]() The road up the mountain is also home to two annual hill-climb races in which cars race up Duryea Drive, named for an automobile maker who used the road to test his cars in the early 1900s.īut building the needed infrastructure up the mountain could prove challenging. The site draws visitors to the area, and there’s access to hiking and biking trails nearby. The plan calls for two mobile charging trailers that would be tested at the pagoda. The city will be on the hook for covering at least 20% of the project, but it can use other grants and in-kind contributions, such as land value and city workers’ salaries, to make up that amount. Overall, Reading has asked for nearly $2.6 million from the federal grant program to help install more than 30 public electric vehicle chargers and expects to find out later this year whether it will receive the grant money. Originally meant to be a luxury hotel when it was built in 1908, the unique landmark now serves as a symbol of Reading – and is one of the seven locations where city officials have proposed installing EV chargers. A seven-story pagoda atop Mount Penn overlooks the city. Other than the Reading Railroad, there’s another fun fact about the city. In 2022, the number of registered electric and hybrid vehicles jumped more than 75% compared with the prior year in Berks County, where Reading is the county seat, according to data from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.ĮV chargers planned for parks, public works and a pagoda “But if you’re going to be an economic development leader or political leader, you always have that eye to the future,” she said.Īnd while the number of EVs on the road is small, it’s been growing. “Electric vehicles still have a long way to go there’s still a lot of bugs that need to be worked out,” said Donna Reed, president of the Reading City Council. The Biden administration has also proposed ambitious new car pollution rules that could require electric vehicles to account for up to two-thirds of new cars sold in the US by 2032. The Inflation Reduction Act – a sweeping, federal climate and health care law passed last year – revamped a federal EV tax credit worth up to $7,500 for consumers who purchase certain vehicles. There is federal money available for drivers too. ![]() But Moran argues Reading’s proposed EV charger plan is an “encouragement” for people to buy EVs. Tesla has an extensive nationwide network, including a handful at a hotel in Reading, but those chargers are currently only compatible with Tesla vehicles.Īnd let’s face it: EV plug-in chargers are of no use to people who don’t own electric vehicles. There are currently only about 63,000 EV chargers publicly available in the US. In addition to being expensive, it’s not always easy for drivers to find a charging station when they need one. If you build EV chargers, will EV drivers come?Īn electric vehicle revolution could be on the horizon, but there are reasons to be skeptical.ĮVs made up just 5.8% of new car sales last year, according to Kelley Blue Book. “We know these opportunities exist that can give us a better future,” he said.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |