Kansas City Power & Light Co. (KCP&L) has announced plans to install and operate more than 1,000 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.
The utility says its Clean Charge Network is the next step in the company's pursuit of environmental sustainability. Over the next several months, KCP&L will install the charging stations throughout the Greater Kansas City region. The network will be capable of supporting more than 10,000 EVs, the utility adds.
“We are committed to the electric vehicle industry and want to give residents and visitors the ability to join the electric vehicle revolution,” says Terry Bassham, president and CEO of KCP&L.
“As a utility, we will place the stations where they're needed most and support them as part of our electric grid, leveraging our expertise with electrical infrastructure,” he continues. “Our Clean Charge Network eliminates “range anxiety' in the region, which is the number one roadblock to greater electric vehicle adoption.”Â
ChargePoint is manufacturing the stations. Through partnerships with companies at host locations and with Nissan Motor Co., the Clean Charge Network will offer free charging on every station for the first two years after drivers sign up for a ChargePoint membership.
Installation of the stations began in late 2014 and will be completed this summer.
The first systems deployed on the network will include 15 fast-charging stations provided by Nissan and KCP&L, which the utility says will charge any EV model from empty to approximately 80% in about 30 minutes.
In addition, the Clean Charge Network will have more than 1,000 standard charging stations, which will give most EVs a 25-mile charge for every hour it is plugged into the station.
