Montgomery County seeks to increase curbside charging stations – GNT NEWS

Montgomery County is trying to make it easier for residents to apply for their own curbside charging station with permits as electric vehicle adoption is expected to increase in the coming year.

Andy Fraser, an electric vehicle owner in the county, was one of the first to apply for a street charger permit. He said the process has been several months since the county evaluated the possibility of putting a station in the driveway. If not, a curbside charger is allowed.

“It costs about $10 to charge my car,” Fraser said. “That gives me 256 miles. If you look at how much you pay for gas at the pump, it will tell you right away.”

Chargers can cost anywhere from $1,200 to about $3,000, but there are tax credits for them.

Brian Booher, a member of the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection, said there are only 12 stations in the county, but they are preparing for more requests.

“Over the last 12 months, 11 percent of all newly registered vehicles are either plug-in hybrids or battery electric vehicles, so that’s going to happen quickly,” Booher said.