Violet JiraOxford will be home to two more new electric vehicle fast charging stations after the Oxford Board of Aldermen unanimously voted to authorize Mayor Robyn Tannehill to sign onto the Tennessee Valley Authority Electric Vehicle Fast Charger Program.
Though a specific location has not been named yet, the chargers will be situated in or near the parking garage off of the Square.
“They can park there, go to the gas station, go to the coffee shop or walk a loop around the Square,” Rob Neeley, general manager of Oxford Utilities, said during the meeting. “In 20 or 30 minutes, their car will be fully charged and back on the road. That’s what it’s intended for.”
Currently, Oxford has many charging stations in multiple locations — some on the University of Mississippi campus and off. The difference, as Neely shares with The Daily Mississippian, is that the new chargers are faster and better.
“Oxford has numerous EV charging stations around town, including in the downtown parking garage, but I am not aware of any fast charging stations,” Neely said. “The big difference is that the fast charger can charge a vehicle in 20-30 minutes whereas a normal charger takes eight hours or more. This is critical for travelers who are looking to recharge and get back on the road.”
The TVA Electric Vehicle Fast Charger Program seeks to widen access to EV charging in the Tennessee Valley region, which includes the entirety of Tennessee along with portions of Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and North Mississippi.
Ideally, drivers in the TVA region will have access to an EV charger every 50 miles along major corridors in the regions. Oxford was chosen because it is situated along highways 6 and 7.
The agreement stipulates that upon signage and approval, the TVA will pay up to $150,000 for two chargers. This would account for three quarters of the price of the station. The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality has selected Oxford to be awarded $50,000, which will cover the remaining part of the station, according to documents shared with The Daily Mississippian by the Board of Aldermen.
“The cost of the station will be minimal for Oxford Utilities and our customers. The station is planned to be located in or near the downtown Oxford parking garage due to the fact that it’s well lit, secure, offers restrooms and shopping nearby,” the agenda item reads. “It could take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour to fully charge an electric vehicle with the fast charger.”
According to Neeley, the project will begin in 2022 and should be completed by 2023.
The University of Mississippi, too, is looking to expand EV charger access on campus. Sam Patterson, director of parking and transportation at UM explained the university’s plan to expand and add to EV charger availability on campus.
“The University of Mississippi Department of Parking and Transportation is currently in the process of upgrading and expanding the options for Electric Vehicle charging stations on campus,” Patterson said. The expansion project will replace the existing units and add six more spaces for a total of 8 spaces. All spaces will be part of the nationwide ChargePoint Inc. system and will allow the university to track usage and various metrics associated with environmental sustainability.”
Though electric cars are not zero-emission vehicles, they emit fewer greenhouse gasses, carbon dioxide and other pollutants than traditional, combustion engine vehicles.
“The units will be at three locations on campus. Two will be located on the north side of Lamar Hall, two will be located in the parking lot off Hill Drive south of the Turner Center and four will be located on the first parking level of the Residential Garage/North Parking Structure,” Patterson said. “All will be Level 2 units and will be part of the ChargePoint managed system. Students and staff will be able to use a phone app to determine availability and monitor the charging of their vehicles.”
