Selected participants are “early adopters” interested in supporting EVs for various reasons (achieving environmental objectives, providing “green” choices for their constituents, etc.). They demonstrated that their facilities are well-suited for studying EV equipment, energy use and consumer behaviors. Most importantly, they met our criteria for the charging station’s location: high visibility and accessibility, onsite support to assist EV drivers, and proper installation and maintenance to ensure safe and reliable charging.

CL&P’s parent company, NU, is paying for Research Project charging station, which includes the charging station, a standard meter, and a promotional sign for each site host. The site hosts are responsible for the installation, maintenance, and electricity used for EV charging. The cost for electricity will be included in their regular monthly electric bill.

That depends on the chosen location which was mutually determined by CL&P and the participating site host.  Some stations will be used by employees of major businesses, others by customers of commercial establishments, and many by the general public in local communities.  For research purposes, CL&P is seeking a diverse mix of uses for the charging stations provided by NU.

Pricing is decided by each site host. Most will offer free charging as the cost to fully charge an EV is small; some may charge a per diem or monthly access fee or parking fee similar to a street meter. Sponsors could start with free EV charging and introduce a fee structure later. Initially, CL&P and NU will offer free EV charging at our corporate offices. As the research project progresses, charging pricing and other variables will be explored.

The electricity to fully charge an EV battery will vary based on the size of the battery. For example charging a Chevrolet Volt to reach EPA estimated 35 miles of electric range will use 12.9 kWh of electricity. Therefore the cost to fully charge a Volt battery will be less than $2.00 for 35 miles on average. An EV driver who “tops off” away from home could require much less than that depending on battery range remaining.

View additional details about the Chevrolet Volt EPA fuel economy. 

Northeast Utilities (NU) and its affiliates Connecticut Light & Power (CL&P), Western Massachusetts Electric Company (WMECo) and Public Service of New Hampshire (PSNH) are conducting a two-year research program. We are collaborating with businesses and municipalities who agreed to be “site hosts” and install EV charging stations provided by NU.

Throughout the two-year period, we will acquire data about charging station usage and patterns as well as installation and permitting insight that will guide our future decisions associated with EV away-from-home charging.

The cost of each charging station is about $3,000. Installation costs vary, based on how much work has to be done by a licensed electrician to prepare the site and conform to National Electric Code and local permitting requirements. Clipper Creek is the manufacturer of most of the charging stations provided for free for Research Project participants.