Energy Efficiency, Commercial, Sourcing Renewables - September 26, 2018
L.L. Bean hosts Maine’s largest EV charging station
L.L. Bean’s flagship store in Freeport Maine now hosts the largest electric vehicle charging station in Maine after adding eight new Level II chargers to the eight Tesla chargers installed during the winter.
A report by the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) said that "the addition gives Midcoast motorists and tourists another public option to charge up in a state where public charging stations can be hard to come by, forcing advanced trip planning." The 16 outlets are available to the public. Although the Tesla chargers are built specifically for Tesla vehicles, the Level II chargers work for most other electric vehicles.
"L.L. was a real person, and he was a big-time outdoor person and a conservationist and would love the fact that we’re doing something that would help to protect the environment," said L.L. Bean President and CEO Stephen Smith, referencing the company’s founder Leon Leonwood Bean. "He was also an amazing entrepreneur, coming up with the boot and several other products, and I think he would have been blown away knowing that electric vehicles are alive and well and are a reality." Smith added, "We hope this charging station helps show our [dedication] for curbing emissions and helping the environment."
The new station adds to a growing number of outlets in the state serving a growing number of electric vehicle owners. NRCM estimates there are about 1,300 registered electric vehicle owners in Maine, about double the number from 2014. According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center, Maine has 252 public charging outlets across 132 stations. Most of those stations are located along the more populous coastal areas, with a dozen spread through more rural communities.
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