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ELECTRIC continued
from front page
contractor supplying parts for, in
stalling, operating and maintaining
the charging stations, will begin
charging a fee to recoup investment
and make a profit.
Still, the state anticipates that
the owner of an electric car, paying
for each charge, will save $1,700 in
a year's time over a gas-powered car
that averaged 22.6 mpg in 2008.
Electrics run for about three cents
a mile compared with the average
gas-powered car that runs for about
10 cents a mile, though many vari
ables affect the actual results.
Each electric charging station
will have a DC fast charger capable
of replenishing an exhausted bat
tery in 30 minutes, as well as a
medium speed charger that takes
from two to four hours for a com
plete charge.
Currently, U.S. -made electric
vehicles, including the Chevy Volt,
require the longer charge, while
international models, including the
Nissan Leaf, recharge faster.
Ashley Horvat, West Coast Elec
tric Highway Project manager for
the Oregon Department of Trans
portation, which is overseeing the
effort for the state, said that driving
her Nissan Leaf round-trip between
Salem and Medford (458 miles), us
ing the fast charge units, added 1.5
hours to the trip.
"Headwinds are the biggest thing
that impacts your mileage," she
said.
The Grand Ronde station will be
among 22 locations currently slated
for installation throughout rural
Oregon, with 10 others already
installed. Charging stations will
be available to electric car driv
ers every 25 to 30 miles in busier
locations of the state and as far as
50 miles between stations in rural
areas, Horvat said.
The Electric Highway project in
Oregon is being built with three
grants totaling more than $4 mil-
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lion. The 2010 stimulus package
allocated $915,000 and that has al
ready brought 10 stations on line.
A $2 million U.S. Department of
Transportation award will bring
another 22 on line by the end of
2012. The Grand Ronde station
will be among the second group of
charging stations. The scope of an
Map created by George Valdez
additional $1.34 million in federal
transportation funds is currently
being negotiated, said Horvat.
"Each community (charging sta
tion) is a mini-project," she said,
including HAZMAT (hazardous
materials) pollution concerns, as
well as negotiations with the local
utility and property owner.
"The average station costs more
than $100,000, with $50,000 of that
being the cost of the equipment. Ac
tual construction takes an average
of 17 days," Horvat said.
AeroVironment subcontractor
Cascadia PM, based in Olympia,
Wash., works with the Oregon
Department of Transportation to
scout locations for charging sta
tions in Oregon and Washington.
Hillsboro-based Quality Plus Ser
vices Electrical is subcontractor for
most installations, including the
one coming in Grand Ronde.
With the support of past and cur
rent governors and Oregon's federal
senators, the state Department of
Transportation has moved forward
with infrastructure that aims to
encourage more car buyers to go
electric.
Oregon, with 1,300 electric cars,
is leading the nation in its build out
of the Electric Highway.
ThTTWest Coast Electric Highway
r promises a corridor by 2020 when
some 2 million electric cars will be
able to travel between Canada and
Mexico without harmful emissions.
The public plan anticipates that
more private partners, like AeroVi
ronment, will move in quickly. Some
will set up stand-alone charging sta
tions, others will build what Horvat ,
calls, "opportunistic charges," where,
customers may be going to a grocery
store anyway, and while there they
will plug in for a charge. Fred Meyer"
is already one of these, installing
charging stations as new stores are
constructed and as current stores
are remodeled. ...
Even with gasoline engines, 80
percent of trips are less than 40
miles, Horvat said, often making
charging unnecessary while out for
daily errands. For these drivers,
many new charging units are being
built at residences offering the op
portunity for overnight charges.
Another piece of a friendlier fu
ture for the environment is being
built today, and, said McClary, "It
truly is a win-win." H
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Agency
Creek Road
closure
Agency Creek Road,
from the junction with
Grand Ronde Road to the
junction with Yoncalla
Creek Road (milepost
4.0), is scheduled to be
closed beginning Aug. 21
through Sept. 21, 2012.
This road closure is nec
essary for road repairs,
including re-paving, of
Agency Creek Road.
Alternative routes will
be available (please see
map on left). For more
information, contact the
Tribe's Project Engineer
Jesse White at 503-879-2404.
D