Electric car owners have a new place to park on game day in Baltimore. Yesterday, state energy administration employees installed nine new electric-vehicle charging ports in the Camden Yards stadium complex.
According to the Maryland Energy Administration, eight of the stations are the more-standard Level 2, which produce a charge similar to the voltage needed to run an electric dryer or oven, according to Plug In America. One of the stations, located near M&T Bank Stadium, is a more powerful Level 3 DC Fast charger, according to the group.
The eight Level 2 stations are located throughout both stadiums’ parking lots. According to the MEA, the Baltimore-based company EVI, short for Electric Vehicle Insitute, has installed more than 200 electric car charging stations around the city in the last six years. The company’s Level 2 chargers installed yesterday match the “Camden Green” paint used in the stadium, said EVI CEO Matthew Wade.
The MEA funded the Maryland Stadium Authority’s installation of the chargers through its so-called Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment Rebate program. The program gives rebates to residents, agencies and businesses that install ports for electric cars.
Mary Beth Tung, director of the state energy agency, said, “We are proud to bring more EV charging stations to key locations in Maryland like the Camden Yards complex.”
Owners of the Nissan Leaf, Chevy Volt and other models can rejoice in being able to take their rides down to either stadium without fear of them dying before they head home. Efforts like this make the relatively rare, but increasingly popular technology more viable for us regular air-polluting car owners.
