Dec 23 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Nicole Gomez El Paso Times, Texas


El Paso may not have many electric cars on its roads, but it will have plenty of electric-vehicle charging stations by summer.

The city government will receive $256,000 in federal stimulus money to promote the use of alternative fuels as part of the Transportation Efficiency Program.

El Paso is among 14 Texas cities and governmental entities selected for grants through the program.

The city will use the money to install 32 electric vehicle plug-in stations at various locations, including parking lots at City Hall, the University of Texas at El Paso and El Paso International Airport.

It will open bidding to manufacturers in the spring, and plans to have all 32 stations installed by the summer.

The charging stations won't be usable for regular hybrid vehicles, such as the Toyota Prius, which require gasoline to power the car.

The stations will be able to charge plug-in hybrid vehicles such as the Chevrolet Volt and all-electric vehicles such as the new Tesla Roadster Sport, which was on display at a news conference Tuesday.

The Tesla Roadster Sport, which sells for $109,000, runs for 250 miles per charge. Tesla representatives say that there are approximately 30 of the vehicles in Texas.

"We know that there aren't many electric cars in El Paso right now, but our hope is that providing these charging stations will make it more practical for the public to own and operate electric vehicles," said Marty Howell, a city staff member.

Howell said that many electric cars do not have enough battery power to run for long. Charging stations in convenient places will make it easier for people to conduct their business without having to return home before their battery dies, he said.

Howell also said the plan was in line with City Council directives to pursue policies that help the environment and the economy.

"Electric vehicles are a good way for people to reduce emissions while operating a vehicle that has lower costs," he said.

Electric vehicles emit about one-fifteenth the emissions of a gasoline-powered car, said L. Javier Ruiz of Border Solar, a distributor of electric-vehicle chargers and a bidder for the city contract.

It will take about four hours to charge a car from empty to full, and the cost will be about $3. The fee breaks down to approximately 11 cents per kilowatt of energy, plus a surcharge that will be divided between the vendor and the city, Howell said.

"There won't be a time limit for how long you can charge your car, just as little or as much as you'd like to pay for," Howell said.

"However, if it gets to a point where there is a lot of demand, perhaps a time limit may be introduced."

Howell said the stations will be equipped with data systems to allow the city to monitor how often they are used, and to calculate the reduction in emissions.

"We expect to see usage increase," Howell said. "Setting up these stations puts El Paso on the map as a leader in alternative energy, and we hope car dealerships will take notice and start bringing more electric cars to El Paso."

Although the city does not have data on the exact number of electric cars in El Paso, Howell estimates that there are only a few.

He said he was optimistic that the trend toward alternative energy will grow now that the city has taken the first step in removing an obstacle to charging electric vehicles.

"We hope to eventually set up charging stations at malls, restaurants and movie theaters, places where people will stop for a while and can charge their cars while they are patronizing the business," Howell said. "The idea is if we build it, they will come."

Nicole Gomez may be reached at ngomez@elpasotimes.com; 546-6262.

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