INDIANAPOLIS -- On Friday, central Indiana witnessed the largest citywide deployment of Level 3, DC fast chargers for electric vehicles (EVs) at a retail fuel chain in the United States.
Ricker Oil Co., an Anderson, Ind.-based retailer that operates more than 52 convenience stores throughout the state, debuted the fast-charging stations at nine of its Indianapolis-area fueling stations. The charging stations exist thanks to Ricker’s partnership with Nissan, a partnership facilitated by the Greater Indiana Clean Cities Coalition.
The Initiative
“The fuel slate that we sell is changing,” Jay Ricker, founder of Ricker’s, said at the kickoff event, explaining why an oil company would want to offer access to alternative fuel sources. “We are a fuel-agnostic company. Whatever our customers want, we will provide.”
Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard arrived in a Ford Fusion, part of the city’s fleet of electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles, to cut the ribbon on the new 50-kilowatt Signet DC fast charger. He touted the economics of EVs, explaining that a motorist can go 100 miles for just $1.20 on electricity as opposed to $20 of gasoline.
But economics are only one reason to embrace EVs, Ballard said. “Mobility options are absolutely critical to our national security,” he said, citing the need to end the United States’ dependence on foreign oil so the government can stop funding enemy regimes. “Indianapolis is leading the nation in this.”
Because of the city’s progressive view on EVs, Ballard said he is often invited by officials from other cities to come share how Indianapolis is encouraging and embracing EVs—and how they can do the same.
Kelly Walsh of the Greater Indiana Clean Cities Coalition praised Ballard for his support of alternative fuel sources, noting that he has signed an executive order making Indianapolis the first major city in the United States to pledge to convert its entire municipal non-police fleet to electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles by 2025.
The Technology
At a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday (see related photos below), the Signet DC fast charger itself was located on the sidewalk in front of one of the convenience store’s front parking spots. Anthony Lambkin of Nissan North America demonstrated how the charging process works, plugging a cord from the unit’s right side into a port in the hood of a 2015 Nissan Leaf.
“This charger is the latest and greatest in EV technology,” Lambkin said. “A few years ago, that charger would have been four times the size. It puts out 50 kilowatts at its peak, so it can charge a Leaf in under 30 minutes.”
In conjunction with the launch of the network, Lambkin also announced that Nissan is bringing its “No Charge to Charge” program to Indiana, providing complimentary charging at the nine Ricker’s locations (plus three additional stations at Indianapolis-area Simon Property malls) for two years to customers who purchase or lease a new Nissan LEAF beginning April 1, 2015.
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