Courtesy New York Power Authority
The New York Power Authority (NYPA) announced the first fast charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs) in downtown Saratoga Springs in the Capital Region.
The new chargers, installed by NYPA, will give more drivers a reason to visit the city’s downtown area and link Saratoga County into New York State’s EVolve NY fast charging network for EVs, officials said.
Located at the Saratoga Springs City Center, the four-charger station will help advance New York’s ambitious clean energy goals by helping decarbonize the transportation sector and reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions 85 percent by 2050, state officials said.
“Saratoga Springs is the latest addition to the New York Power Authority’s growing charging network that is making it easier for electric car drivers to cross the state without having to worry about where their next charge is coming from,” said NYPA Interim President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll. “More people are realizing the benefits of clean transportation and we want to encourage the use of electric vehicles everywhere in the state so we can all benefit from lower fuel costs and reduced emissions while protecting the environment.”
The Direct Current Fast Chargers (DCFC), located in the outdoor portion of the lot adjacent to Maple Street, at the Saratoga Springs City Center at the north end of Broadway, can be used by any make or model of electric vehicle and can recharge most of the battery capacity in as little as 20 minutes.
Four additional chargers have been newly installed at Stewart’s Shops, 1311 Route 9,in Moreau, 13 miles north of Saratoga Springs, bringing the total of EVolve NY fast chargers to eight in Saratoga County. NYPA has installed 52 chargers at 14 sites across the state since fall of 2020.
The Saratoga site supports the city conference center and is just a block off Broadway, the main street for shopping, food and entertainment. Saratoga Springs is known as a hub for thoroughbred horse racing and for its thriving restaurant, nightlife and arts scene. The chargers will serve the tourist destination and key local attractions such as Skidmore College, the Saratoga Race Course, the harness racing track, spas, Saratoga Performing Arts Center and drivers heading to the Adirondacks.
The city also has about 100 public level 2 chargers, which are used for charging during a longer stop, while the new fast chargers are meant for rapid charging, officials said.
“The Saratoga Springs City Center is thrilled to be partnering with the New York Power Authority and the City of Saratoga Springs to help bring more electric charging accessibility to the region,” said Ryan E. McMahon, executive director of the Saratoga Springs City Center. “Since the machines have gone live I have seen vehicles charging almost every day and that is before the official notification went out. Saratoga Springs hosts many visitors each year and adding more green alternatives is important to our residents and guests.”
The clean energy initiative supports New York’s Climate Act (the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act), the most aggressive climate and clean energy initiative in the nation, which establishes bold targets for decreasing climate-altering greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution from the transportation sector.
The state is making numerous efforts and investments to electrify the transportation sector and reduce climate-altering greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. Gov. Kathy Hochul recently signed legislation setting a goal for all new passenger cars and trucks sold in New York to be zero-emissions by 2035. Supporting Charge NY, a state initiative to get more electric vehicles on the road, other EV charging and deployment initiatives and programs are designed to get 850,000 zero-emission vehicles on the road by 2025. Under the state’s Drive Clean Rebate program, more than 52,000 rebates have been issued totaling more than $75 million and more than 100,000 electric vehicles have been sold in New York state.
Last month, Hochul announced that utility companies can fully implement New York’s groundbreaking EV infrastructure program known as “EV Make-Ready,” which will deploy more than 50,000 new public and commercial charging ports across the state by 2025
The Saratoga site has three 150kW Direct Current Fast Charger (DCFC) stations and one 350kW charger, which is capable of charging a compatible vehicle at speeds up to 20 miles per minute. Two of the charging stations are equipped with both fast charging connectors, Combined Charging System (CCS) and CHAdeMO, so all electric vehicles, including Tesla cars with an adapter, can plug in and charge. One parking space is ADA accessible.