It just got a little easier to travel up and down I-95 in the mid-Atlantic with an Electric Vehicle thanks to a public-private partnership that brings 26 EV fast charging spots to two travel plazas in Maryland.
In a ceremony at the Maryland House Travel Plaza in Aberdeen, Maryland, Department of Transportation (MDOT) Deputy Secretary R. Earl Lewis, Jr. announced that EV charging stations are now open at the Maryland House and Chesapeake House travel plazas on I-95 in northeast Maryland.
“With the Thanksgiving holiday right around the corner, this is great news for our customers traveling up and down the I-95 corridor,” Deputy Secretary Lewis said. The Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) and its partner Areas USA, which operates the Travel Plazas, worked with the Electric Vehicle Institute to install eight 50 kW Fast Chargers, four at Maryland House and four at Chesapeake House. The dual-port chargers which support both CHAdeMO and CCS standard connectors were funded with help from a grant from the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA).
Deputy Secretary Lewis added, “The charging stations are free to our customers, and you really can’t beat the convenience. You can grab a bite to eat inside the travel plaza while you’re waiting for your vehicle to charge.”
MDTA and Areas USA have also partnered with Tesla which has opened eight Supercharger stalls at Maryland House and ten at Chesapeake House. The Tesla Superchargers were installed at no cost to the MDTA. Each travel plaza also has one Level 2 charging station in a handicapped-accessible parking space. MDTA Executive Director Kevin C. Reigrut said, “This is a win-win for our customers and for the environment.”
Mary Beth Tung, Maryland Energy Administration Director, noted that Governor Larry Hogan’s administration has invested $4 million on alternative fueling options including electric vehicle charging stations. She added, “Expanding Maryland’s network of electric vehicle chargers benefits our residents, businesses, and visitors, while also reducing our reliance on imported petroleum fuel.”
The Chesapeake House Travel Plaza is off I-95 at mile marker 97 near the town of North East, MD. The Maryland House Travel Plaza is off I-95 at mile marker 82 near Aberdeen, MD.
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