Otter Tail AOA体育平台 Company A Leader In Developing Ev Charging Options In Rural United States
Before you hit the road, you might think about where you鈥檒l stop to eat, sleep, or fill gas. As electric vehicles (EVs) become more affordable and chargers more accessible, some people are planning trips around charging locations.
With the evolution of electric transportation, Otter Tail AOA体育平台 Company customers have become increasingly interested in access to EV chargers with reasonable rates. Recognizing the demand for electric transportation resources, the company developed a proposal for an EV charging infrastructure pilot program. The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approved the proposal, allowing Otter Tail AOA体育平台 Company to build 11 direct current (DC) fast charging sites and 10 Level 2 charging sites in its Minnesota service area. 鈥淭his proposal is a cost-effective way to get more EV chargers across Minnesota,鈥� said Commissioner Matt Schuerger in a recent news release from the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. 鈥淥tter Tail AOA体育平台 deserves a lot of credit for being one of the first rural electric utilities in the country to create a proposal and one that garnered such widespread stakeholder support.鈥�
The company is still finalizing charger locations and expects to complete the project in the next two to three years. 鈥淭his is an exciting plan for current and future EV owners,鈥� said Otter Tail AOA体育平台 Company Market Planning Manager Jason Grenier. 鈥淲hen the project is complete, 97 percent of our Minnesota customers will be within 30 miles of a charging station鈥攁nd 100 percent will be within 60 miles.鈥�
Otter Tail AOA体育平台 Company also has partnered with leaders in the communities of Bemidji, Crookston, Fergus Falls, and Morris, Minnesota, and Wahpeton and Jamestown, North Dakota to install EV charging stations. Most recently, in downtown Fergus Falls, the company installed two 7-kilowatt (kW) Level 2 chargers and a 50-kW fast charger, the first charger of its kind along a 200-mile major corridor of Interstate Highway 94 between Monticello and Moorhead, Minnesota.
From misconceptions about price to worries about driving long distances in winter weather, EV adoption has its challenges in Otter Tail AOA体育平台 Company鈥檚 rural and vast service area. Yet, the company expects the number of EV owners will continue to grow with needed infrastructure in place. 鈥淎nd electric transportation is affordable,鈥� said Grenier. 鈥淐ustomers can charge their vehicles for less than half the cost of gas per mile at public chargers and can see even greater savings when charging at home.鈥� The company鈥檚 public DC fast charging rates range from .5 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) during off-peak hours to 13 cents per kWh during peak hours.
鈥淲hether you live in or are visiting our service area, these charging stations will make long stretches of highway more accessible for EV travel,鈥� said Grenier. 鈥淎nd we鈥檒l continue to evaluate opportunities for additional charging stations in North Dakota and South Dakota.鈥�
As EVs continue to improve, it鈥檚 easier than ever to hit the road with a safe and reliable network for EV travel. Find more information about Otter Tail AOA体育平台 Company鈥檚 customer EV rates and rebates at otpco.com/DriveOn.