GREENWOOD, Ind. -- Murphy USA has opened two Level 3 "quick chargers" at gas stations at Wal-Mart locations in Plainfield and Greenwood, Ind., through the Energy Systems Network (ESN) Project Plug-IN initiative and partner Eaton Corp. The charging stations--said to be the first in the Indianapolis region--are located at the Murphy USA stations and are free of charge for plug-in vehicle (PEV) drivers for a limited time.
Eaton's DC Level 3 Quick Chargers provide dramatically faster charging time for PEVs--as short as 10 to 30 minutes. This results in a more convenient way for PEV owners to recharge and get back on the road, while also reducing "range anxiety," the companies said.
"There are now hundreds of plug-in vehicles throughout the state, and the addition of quick charging allows customers to fully recharge cars while they take a break to shop and dine," said ESN president and CEO Paul Mitchell. "It's exciting to see leading global retailers offering this advanced new technology to their customers."
Angelos Lambis, vice president of Murphy USA, reiterated the importance of pursuing the deployment of this technology. "Murphy USA will use this electric-vehicle [EV] charging station, along with its sister electric-vehicle charging station in Plainfield, to help us better understand this new potential market segment," Lambis said. "I am excited to introduce Indiana's first retail deployment of the 'quick charge' Level 3 charger. It's another important step towards understanding just how influential this equipment is likely to be and the feasibility of taking it to scale."
Tom Schafer, vice president of Eaton, said, "For plug-ins to be adopted widely across the country, it's important that customers have a sense of confidence that there's an infrastructure behind them that will allow them to charge wherever they are. Collaboration with companies like Murphy is important in establishing that confidence and building that initial infrastructure."
Indianapolis-based ESN is a not-for-profit, industry-driven economic initiative focused on the development of Indiana's "clean tech" sector. It provides project development and coordination for joint ventures and cooperative partnerships between network members who are seeking to bring new energy technologies, products or applications to market.
Project Plug-IN, one of ESN's initiatives, is a commercial-scale pilot of plug-in electric vehicles and smart grid technology working together to demonstrate an energy efficient transportation system solution. ESN and Project Plug-IN received U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) grant funding through the Indiana Office of Energy Development (IOED) for the deployment of electric vehicles and charging stations.
Cleveland-based Eaton is a diversified power management company.
Murphy Oil USA Inc. is a leading provider of quality fuels and convenience store services in the United States, operating more than 1,000 retail gasoline stations across 22 states under the Murphy USA and Murphy Express brands. The El Dorado, Ark.-based company also owns and operates a network of 12 terminals that provide, along with third-party terminals, fuel supply to retail and branded wholesale stations throughout 24 states.
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