The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has selected AeroVironment Inc. to install its high-power Level 3 electric vehicle (EV) fast charging stations along the I-5 corridor from the California state line to the Willamette Valley. This is the beginning of the “Green Highway,” which aims to allow EV drivers to travel along the West Coast from San Diego to Vancouver, B.C. Specific terms of the contract were not disclosed.
AeroVironment will install the fast charging stations along a 150-mile span of the I-5. The stations will allow drivers to recharge their electric vehicles from a fully-discharged state in less than 30 minutes.
“Fast charging stations along high-traffic transportation corridors will help make driving electric vehicles between communities a viable option for Oregonians,” says Art James, project director with the ODOT.
AeroVironment’s Level 3 fast charging stations are CHAdeMO compliant, meaning that they are compatible with fast-charge capable EV models such as the Nissan LEAF. AeroVironment will analyze driving distances, common destinations, vehicle range and other factors in its selection of the EV fast charging sites at eight interchanges identified by ODOT along a 150-mile segment of the I-5 in Southern Oregon. The company is also experienced in working with utilities and will collaborate with local utilities to prepare for the deployment. The company anticipates installing the fast charging stations along Oregon’s “Green Highway” by the end of this fall.
The project is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) awarded through the State Energy Program (SEP). The U.S. Department of Energy administers the funds, approves the projects and reviews the state’s progress.
