ST. LOUIS, Aug. 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- For Missouri electric vehicle drivers thinking
about a longer road trip, planning where to charge – if there's a
place at all – can be an issue.
Under a proposal Ameren Missouri plans to file today with
the Missouri Public Service Commission (PSC), electric vehicle (EV)
drivers will have more options along Interstate 70 in Missouri as part of a pilot installation from
Jefferson City to St. Louis.
The project would build public charging islands along I-70 – the
most heavily travelled interstate in Missouri – that would accommodate all electric
vehicle makes and models. Ameren Missouri, a subsidiary of Ameren
Corporation (NYSE: AEE), is now working to identify locations for
six of these charging islands, each featuring combinations of
"fast-charging" and "standard charging" stations for public
use.
"Ameren Missouri acknowledges the many societal benefits
associated with electric vehicles," said Michael Moehn, president of Ameren Missouri.
"They positively impact the environment, help create jobs, offer
fuel and maintenance savings for EV owners, and help reduce our
region's carbon footprint."
The evolution of electric transportation technology, in
particular the propulsion battery, is progressing at a very rapid
pace. But while the vehicle barriers to widespread consumer
adoption – price and battery range – are being removed, there is an
infrastructure barrier remaining that also needs to be addressed,
said Ameren Missouri's Mark Nealon,
who is leading the pilot charging corridor project.
"Missouri's charging
infrastructure gap is two-fold: regional communities are not
connected together along driving corridors with charging stations,
and those that are there aren't fast enough to meet the needs of
the long-distance driver," Nealon said. "Ameren Missouri's
proposal addresses both gaps."
The project, estimated to cost around $600,000, will help alleviate the "range anxiety"
an electric vehicle driver experiences when faced with the prospect
of traveling longer distances. The longest range among mass market
electric vehicles available today is about 100 miles. So Ameren
Missouri intentionally designed adjacent charging islands to be
roughly 20 to 45 miles apart, Nealon said.
"The first mass-market EVs with ranges in excess of 200 miles
will be made available to the public next year, and using them to
drive greater distances is going to be on consumers' minds for the
very first time," Nealon said. "Someone has to act now as a means
to close this infrastructure gap and address this new consumer
expectation, and Ameren Missouri is willing."
The first charging island is planned to be constructed later
this year in Boonville, Mo. The
exact locations in Boonville and
elsewhere, including a charging island in the City of St. Louis, are under study and will be
announced at a later date.
As part of this project, Ameren Missouri also is proposing a
"pay at the charger" transaction that mirrors a typical gasoline
fueling experience.
Meetings with external stakeholders, including the Office of
Public Counsel, the PSC Staff, environmental groups, the Missouri
Department of Transportation, and the Missouri Division of Energy,
took place this spring and summer, providing valuable input on
Ameren Missouri's proposal.
"Ameren's vision of leading the way to a secure energy future
compels us to actively support emerging technologies such as
electric vehicles as well as our customers who adopt them," Moehn
said. "Leading today in this area will help us transform tomorrow
and help prepare our customers and state for a future in electric
transportation."
About Ameren Missouri
Ameren Missouri has been providing electric and gas service for
more than 100 years, and the company's electric rates are among the
lowest in the nation. Ameren Missouri's mission is to power the
quality of life for its 1.2 million electric and 130,000 natural
gas customers in central and eastern Missouri. The company's service area covers 64
counties and more than 500 communities including the greater
St. Louis area. For more
information please visit AmerenMissouri.com or follow
AmerenMissouri on Facebook or Twitter.
To view the original version on PR Newswire,
visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ameren-missouri-pilots-electric-vehicle-charging-corridor-for-i-70-connecting-jefferson-city-and-st-louis-300313426.html
SOURCE Ameren Missouri