What’s happening: Downtown Farmington gained two electric vehicle (EV) charging stations earlier this month – and just in time for Earth Day, no less. Each station is equipped with two charging units, each of which are already operational.

How to find them: The two charging stations are both located downtown, with one found on Oakland Street, west of Farmington Road and near the historic Masonic Lodge. The second is located at the southeast corner of Riley Park on Grove Street.

How they got there: The City of Farmington was able to utilize an $8,000 grant from DTE Energy toward the cost of installation of the two charging stations. The EV charging stations come from the Detroit-based Red E Charging company, a firm whose network of chargers have been installed from New England to as far west as Las Vegas with the bulk of their network located in both the Upper and Lower peninsulas of Michigan.

What they’re saying: “What I like about Red E Charging is that they retain ownership, install and maintain the equipment, while we help to reduce carbon emissions,” said City Manager David Murphy. “The availability of EV chargers can also help to alleviate range anxiety, which is something I’ve heard from a couple of electric vehicle drivers.”

Why it’s important: That last point by the city manager is an important one. One of the main sticking points of the widespread adoption of EVs is the still spotty network, although ever increasing, of charging stations. Having four charging units downtown means that EV owners are that much more likely to visit, shop, and dine in downtown Farmington.

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