Batavia Downs Gaming and Hotel held a ribbon cutting celebration on Wednesday morning for the installation of an EV charging station which is located adjacent to the valet entrance.
The electric vehicle charging station was made possible through support of NYSERDA and the Greater Rochester Clean Cities Coalition after a plan was developed in 2016 that involved 18 communities throughout the area.
Batavia was one of five communities to receive the free EV Station.
“Batavia Downs was one of the best sites for this region,” says David Keefe, Coordinator of Greater Rochester Clean Cities Coalition.
“They wanted it, they embraced it, and they also have a lot of traffic here. It is being used all the time.”
The EV station was installed last winter.
The equipment was free and came with a 1 year warranty. There was $500-$1,000 available for installation, but any other additional expenses, like trenching to run power to it, was not paid for.
“Electric cars make a great second car because of the range, but we want to make them the first car so you can get rid of the gas car. You can go 300 miles, and fast charging will allow you to go on trips. You charge for 30-40 minutes, which is the time it takes to eat lunch,” says Keefe.
Within the year fast charging will be made available on the NYS Thruway, according to Keefe.
Other communities who also received free EV charging stations were Geneseo, Victor, Brockport and Canandaigua.
Currently there are 4 EV stations in Genesee County and one in Wyoming County.
Here is link to a map which shows where they are located throughout the country.
https://www.plugshare.com/
