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Over the past year you may have heard about EVTown. You may have even seen a few of these funny-looking vehicles driving around the Bloomington-Normal area. However, these vehicles are playing an important role in our community. They are essential tools to the EVTown project that is transforming Uptown Normal before our very eyes.
What is EVTown?
EVTown is a community-wide effort to turn Bloomington-Normal into a model electric vehicle (EV) community that began in 2010.
What is an EV?
EV stands for electric vehicle, which is a vehicle that runs solely on electrical energy stored within a battery. Unlike gasoline-powered vehicles that leave pollutants in the air, EVs are zero-emissions vehicles, meaning that they do not contribute to local air pollution.
What are the community benefits of EVTown?
Aside from reducing pollutants released into the air, EVTown expands the community’s reputation as progressive and forward-thinking; aspects that can attract top quality businesses and employees. Additionally, there are various federal tax incentives designed to increase interest in the EVTown concept.
What are the individual benefits of owning an EV?
For EV owners, the financial benefits include savings on gasoline expenses and up to $10,000 in federal and state tax credits. Joe Mikulecky, member of the Bloomington-Normal Electric Vehicle Task Force and an EV owner of 3+ years says that, “Bypassing gas stations, no price shock concerns on Tuesday morning in Bloomington-Normal, and knowing that I’m doing a small part to help our environment,” are some of the incentives of owning an EV.
Charging Stations
Aside from the influx of numerous compact EVs on the roads, EVTown has also implemented a system of public charging stations throughout the Bloomington-Normal area. Because the cost of outfitting the public charging stations with payment acceptors exceeds the cost of providing electricity to the small number of EVs in the area, these charging stations are currently free of charge. Charging stations also have the added benefit of pre-conditioning the cabin while charging. According to Joe Mikulecky, “It’s nice being able to get into a 70 degree car that’s plugged in on a 0-degree day and not impact the main battery significantly, or its range.”
The locations of the charging stations are as follows:
- City Hall, 100 E. Phoenix Ave. – 6 Level 2 stations
- Fire HQ, 1300 E. College Ave. – 1 Level 2 station
- Public Works, 1301 Warriner – 1 Level 2 station
- Beaufort Street Parking Deck, 201 W. Beaufort – 2 Level 2 stations, 1 “Level 1” 110V station
- College Avenue deck, 101 W. Mulberry – 3 Level 2 stations
- Heartland Community College, 1500 W. Raab Road – 1 Level 2 station near the Astroth Community Center and 1 near the Workforce Development Center
- Illinois State University –1 Level 2 station at Bone Student Center, 1 Level 2 at the Science Lab building at the NW corner of Fell and North
- City of Bloomington – 2 Level 2 stations in the Lincoln Parking Deck on Front Street
- Numerous additional charging stations are set to be added in the coming months.
A Level 1 charging station can completely charge an empty battery in 8-12 hours, while a Level 2 charging station can do the same in 4-6 hours. A typical EV will be able to travel 60-100 miles on a single charge.
For more information, or to find out how you can help, please visit EVTown.org |
