PITTSBURG, Kan. — Many gathered in downtown Pittsburg for the celebration of the new EV charging station at the Colonial Fox Theatre.
Pittsburg native and Pitt State graduate Kelly Burgess gifted the first, fast level three dc charging station in Southeast Kansas.
This new charger gives electric vehicles a healthy charge in just two hours.
The charging installation is supported by the Switch Energy Network where drivers can create and activate the station from their smartphones. The nearest station that would compare to this one is in Joplin.
A full charge will cost drivers only $20.
“There’s been many comments to me over the past year that we needed to get something in Pittsburg, ’cause there’s limited level two stations and no dc fast charging until today. So we knew we needed to do something. Having grown up here and all of these people at this event were instrumental in my development, so it was time for me to give back,” said Kelly Burgess.
“One problem with electric cars is if the chargers are down, say, and my wife said ‘hey we want to go to Joplin for something’, and I don’t have 30 miles of charge, this will be handy there. Because it takes a lot longer to charge at my home one. I charge overnight to get maybe from 10 to 80%. but at a fast charger, I can get 10 to 80% battery in 18 minutes. that’s about 200 miles in 18 minutes,” said Elwyn Davis.
According to officials, this fast charger will be a temporary installation and will not interfere with future plans for the space of the theatre.
