Framingham Installs Its First Public Electric Vehicle Charging Station; Additional Charging Stations Planned For Schools

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FRAMINGHAM – The City of Framingham has installed its first, public electric vehicle (EV) charging station at Farm Pond Park.

According to the City’s Sustainability Coordinator, Shawn Luz, the charging station was installed and made operational on February 21.

It was a collaboration between the Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs Department, and Capital Projects and Facilities Management, said Luz.

The charging station is a Level 2 dual-port electric vehicle charging station that was implemented by the city through Eversource’s EV Make Ready program.

The program created by Eversource was designed to help cities and towns throughout Massachusetts advance in helping to develop a clean transportation future by providing charging stations.

Through the program, Eversource is helping increase access to electric vehicles by supporting 100 percent of the infrastructure costs for thousands of new charging stations across Massachusetts. Farm Pond Park was one of the locations that was eligible for this program.

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Farm Pond Park was chosen due to its high visibility, numerous parking spaces, and the fact that it was well suited for Level 2 charging durations, explained Luz.

A Level 2 charging duration means that about 180 miles can be added during an eight-hour charge. Level 2 charging stations are also compatible with any electric vehicle. In addition to the reasons stated above, the Level 2 charging stations are optimized for expansion in the future.

In addition to the currently installed station, the City of Framingham also was able to implement the electrical infrastructure necessary for future expansion of up to four additional dual-port EV charging stations at the site.

The charging station model used, the CT4000, has features for the users that include an instructional video on how to use the station, and multiple languages are available to choose by the user, including English, Spanish, and French.

The station also allows the City to have insurance and warranties for it. Part of the fee that was paid by the City for the station goes towards the insurance policy. In addition, the station is protected under a warranty program called ChargePoint. This program allows for the station to be monitored and sends a warning if anything is amiss such as damage or vandalism.

The charging station is also designed with smart technology that allows for a user to remotely check if a station is available/in use as well as reserve the charging station to secure a spot.

The same type of charging station is scheduled to be installed through a partnership between the EV Made Easy program and the Framingham Public Schools at several Framingham Schools.

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EV charging stations will be installed at the new Fuller Middle School, under construction, as well as Brophy Elementary, McCarthy Elementary, and Wilson Elementary.

According to Luz, the city was planning on having a Grand Unveiling for the charging station before the pandemic hit.

The City of Framingham is still working on other opportunities that they might have to engage with residents about it in the near future. One of the plans for the Grand Unveiling was to partner with a local organization that provides test drives with electric vehicles for people in order to give people a glimpse at how they work and operate.