Greenfield, Ind., is preparing to dig into hands-on studies to plan for electric vehicle charging stations. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization will award funding to several planning projects throughout central Indiana, and Greenfield got a boost with a $75,000 grant.
Jason Koch, Greenfield’s city engineer, said infrastructure and electric vehicles go a long way toward energy independence. Koch also mentioned that state and federal governments will invest a significant amount of money in the objective.
The state already has EV charging stations, but within the next five years, it would like to ramp up the speed and reliability of its infrastructure.
Currently, Indiana has three levels of EV charging stations:
- Level 1: Generates about 5 miles of range per hour of charging.
- Level 2: Generates around 25 miles of range per hour of charging.
- Level 3: This level is also known as a DC fast-charging station and tends to provide around 100–200 miles or more of range for every 30 minutes of charging.
This specific grant will zone in on the level 3 charging stations, which Greenfield lacks, according to local newspaper Daily Reporter. Koch mentioned that officials are talking about setting up these stations near the interchange of Interstate 70 and Indiana Route 9.
Range anxiety can be a huge concern with EV owners, and Greenfield wants to provide peace of mind. The city’s goal for this project is to ensure city residents and travelers have access to reliable and speedy EV charging.
Based on where officials are eyeing these stations' strategic placement, it will also benefit business owners. It’s a win-win for residents, travelers and business owners.
The study will take about 9–12 months to complete. According to Koch, the city will send out a request for proposals for the planning study and will hire a firm to do the actual hands-on study.
Level 3 charging stations take massive amounts of energy—Greenfield needs to ensure the grid and infrastructure can handle excessive amounts of power. This grant is going to pave the way to a more insightful plan to charge Greenfield reliably.
