Seattle to gain electric car charging stations

Published 3:32 pm Wednesday, August 5, 2009

The Associated Press

SEATTLE — The Seattle area will gain 2,550 charging stations under a $100 million Energy Department grant through the Electric Transportation Engineering Corp. to cities in Washington, Oregon and three other states.

A spokesman for the Seattle mayor’s office, Alex Fryer, says about 1,000 charging stations will be in residences and 1,500 in a network for the metro area.

Mayor Greg Nickels and Nissan North America signed an agreement in April to make Seattle one of the first markets for the all-electric LEAF.

The grant announced Wednesday will offer buyers of the LEAF a 220-volt charging station in their home at no cost.

At current Seattle City Light rates the LEAF would cost $190 for 10,000 miles, or just under 2 cents a mile.