Bellingham is adding 90 electric vehicle charging spots. Does the demand justify expansion?
The city of Bellingham is on its way to installing 26 new electric vehicle charging stations with a combined total of 90 plug-in spots. Six charging stations were installed in phase one of the Electrification of Transportation project. Twenty will be installed by the end of phase two in December.
The city says this is a response to an increase in electric vehicles and an effort to meet Bellingham’s climate action goals. A variety of charging stations will be installed, including standard level two, DC fast chargers and solar-powered chargers.
Standard level two and DC fast chargers offer increased charging speeds and are common for commercial use, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
But how many electric vehicles are driving the streets of Bellingham? Do we really need more charging stations?
“According to the Washington State Department of Licensing, there are approximately 3,200 electric vehicles (EVs) registered in Bellingham as of July 2024,” said Stefanie Cilinceon, Bellingham’s Public Works Department communications and outreach coordinator. “This is more than double the number of EVs registered in Bellingham in January 2022, when there were 1,260 EVs.”
So far this year the city’s charging stations have received almost as much use as they did in all of 2023, according to the city of Bellingham.
Improved accessibility for electric vehicles increases Bellingham’s climate-friendly transportation options, one of six core strategies in the city’s climate action plan, according to the city.
“Bellingham’s greenhouse gas emissions inventory for 2022 showed that 40% of all emissions come from the use of gasoline and diesel,” Cilinceon told The Herald. “By expanding electric vehicle infrastructure within Bellingham, this project makes it easier for community members to switch to electric vehicles and reduce transportation-related emissions.”
The 26 charger locations and their construction status can be found on the city of Bellingham website. Fourteen locations are ready for use.
Charging locations were placed in primarily city-owned properties and public rights-of-way areas that lacked access to charging stations or areas with high demand, according to the city.
“Chargers were installed at or near parks, destinations, workplaces and multifamily residential areas,” Cilinceon said. “We chose to install the fast charging stations at locations near the highway so visitors can use them to charge their vehicles on longer journeys.”
Prices vary based on station and duration of stay. The base cost is $0.25 per kWh when charging and $0.25 per minute of occupying space after charging is complete, according to the city.
Funding for the new stations comes from the city’s Transportation Fund and a $1.5 million grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce. Currently, $1.65 million has been spent on the project, according to the city of Bellingham.
All locations are operated by ChargePoint, an online network of independently owned charging stations. The city of Bellingham has worked with them since installing the first charging station in 2016.
Electric vehicle users can find nearby charging stations using ChargePoint’s map of locations.
This story was originally published August 17, 2024 at 3:54 PM.