The newest electric vehicle charging station in Bellingham, located in the Whole Foods parking lot at 1030 Lakeway Drive, will be officially dedicated during a celebration on Saturday, April 6, from 9 a.m. to noon. In line with Washington State's Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure partnership program, the new charging station is conveniently located along the I-5 freeway corridor. The station includes two fast chargers, which can recharge an electric vehicle (EV) in about the same amount of time it takes to grocery shop or enjoy a cup of coffee. Other fast-charging stations are located in Blaine, south Bellingham and Burlington, WA. A ribbon-cutting for the new station will occur at 10 a.m. The free event will be held in the parking lot in front of Whole Foods, at 1030 Lakeway Drive. Bellingham City Council member and Bellingham Mayor Pro Tem Pinky Vargas, as well as 40th Legislative District Representatives Jeff Morris and Debra Lekanoff are scheduled to speak at Saturday's event, which celebrates the first-ever Drive Electric Earth Day. Along with information about chargers and electric vehicles, electric cars will be available for free test rides for those who are 21 or older and have a valid driver's license. “Electric cars are well worth the ride," says Mayor Kelli Linville, who along with City of Bellingham employees, travels via electric vehicle on City business. “EVs are not only efficient and easier on the environment, they are becoming increasingly affordable." “With the addition of a second charging station in Bellingham, our work on the Electric Highway - begun in 2012 - helps ensure that residents and visitors can easily move around town as well as up and down I-5," says Linville. The City of Bellingham is committed to reducing emissions by converting its fleet of cars and work trucks to electric and hybrid vehicles. Benefits of these alternately fueled vehicles:
For more information, visit the Drive Electric Earth Day webpage. Event partners include Forth mobility, Whole Foods, EVgo, Puget Sound Energy, West Coast Electric Highway, Plug In America and WSDOT (the Washington State Department of Transportation.)
