Oregon Unveils First Quick Charging Station

A chicken-or-the-egg dilemma has often pressed against the popularity of electric vehicles. Which should come first: electric vehicles or the EV infrastructure? In Oregon, both cars and stations seem to be arriving in lockstep. 

On Thursday, Portland, Ore., received its first fast-charging EV station. It’s the first of more than 2,000 stations that will be installed in Oregon over the next two years. 

A fast-charging station has a direct-current 480-volt charging port. The charger should allow EV users to charge their cars to 80% capacity in less than 30 minutes, according to Nissan. The Nissan Leaf, which is arriving in Oregon and four other states in December, will be equipped to handle the fast-charging port. This first charging station is a part of the EV Project , which is a partnership between the U.S. Department of Energy and the private firm ECOtality. 

Many of these charging ports will be in people’s homes, as the EV Project will dole out chargers free of charge to EV buyers who qualify. Automakers Nissan and General Motors are also involved in the project in preparation for the launch of their first electric cars: the Leaf and Chevrolet Volt, respectively. According to EV parts supplier AeroVironment, fast or “Level 3” charging stations can cost anywhere between $110,000 to $160,000, so this isn’t exactly an easy decision for anyone involved. 

The EV project will install 8,300 240-volt charging ports in residential homes and 6,350 in commercial locations. More than 300 of the pricey fast-charging ports will also be installed throughout the country. Unfortunately, this inaugural station is located at a company’s private garage. While the technology is a breakthrough, it isn’t part of a larger public EV infrastructure.