Politics & Government

Electric Cars: Are They in Your Future?

A vendor wants New Lenox to buy electric vehicle charging stations, something he believes would encourage more people to purchase the energy-saving cars.

Electric cars are still a relatively new technology, slow to hit roadways in America but a certain future. A Chicago-based vendor hopes New Lenox and other municipalities will buy vehicle charging stations to encourage more people to use electric cars.

Last week, the village's development and land use committee heard a proposal from CarbonDay Automotive, a Chicago company that sells charging station networks so drivers can juice up their cars with electricity at places away from their homes.

Village planning director Robin Ellis said there isn't any room in the budget currently, but that the matter could go before the Village Board in the future.

Find out what's happening in New Lenoxwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

CarbonDay Vice President Brian Levin spoke to the committee and said each station would cost about $5,000. Ellis added that there would be additional costs to extend electricity lines to wherever the charging stations would be located.

Using the network, drivers can locate available public charging stations along their commute and to track their vehicle’s charging performance from anywhere there is an Internet connection.

Find out what's happening in New Lenoxwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Ellis said that Levin didn't make suggestions as to where the stations would be in New Lenox, but noted that ideal locations would be public places where people are coming and going.

"The idea is if you're out to catch a movie or something you can plug your car in, see the movie and come back with the car charged," Ellis said.

Ellis said CarbonDay suggested the village get two charging stations to start, expanding later as needed. When that will be is a tough question to answer.

President Barack Obama has promised to bring 1 million plug-in hybrids to U.S. roads by 2015 and pledged $2.4 billion in federal grants to develop electric vehicles and batteries.

Whether an increase in volume of production or presence of mind through things like charging stations will create more buyers remains to be seen.

The now carries the Chevy Volt, and electric car that can travel about 40 miles on a fully charged battery. Although the dealership cannot sell the Volt until the fourth quarter of this year, salesman Jeff Heda said there's been some mild interest in the car so far. The dealership started taking orders for the Volt about three weeks ago, and has six orders, Heda said.

Reader Michele Faltin Valecek drives a 2007 Prius and she said she thinks charging stations are a great idea for the future.

"I don't think many people have electric cars right now," she said in a Facebook comment. "But I think in the near future this is something the village should seriously consider."


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