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The new trailhead facility in Ely will include a high-speed charging hub for charging electrical vehicles.
City officials took the next step in that project Dec. 17, when they approved a proposal from ZEF Energies.
The city is in line for a federal grant of $55,500 to cover its share of the project, and clerk-treasurer Harold Langowski called it “one of those pieces of infrastructure that’s critical to moving forward.”
The high-speed charging station will be the first of its kind in the Ely area, and officials noted that slower chargers such as those at the public library or the DQ Grill and Chill typically take five to six hours to fully recharge an electric vehicle.
The trailhead facility will include two type-three fast chargers that take about 30 minutes.
Electric vehicle owners would pay about $40 for the service.
Langowski compared the installation to the city’s earlier work to bring fiber connections to the downtown business district.
“The investment is being returned by lease payments,” said Langwoski. “It’s going to take a long time to pay back but it was infrastructure necessary that wasn’t being provided by others.”
City officials said the charging station may be important given the use of electric vehicles and Ely’s standing as a destination point for visitors from around the country.
“It’s nice to see Ely thinking about being on the cutting edge,” said mayor Heidi Omerza.
If all goes as planned, the charging stations will be installed and operational by next spring.
