As the general public’s awareness of electric vehicle technology increases, more of our members are comfortable with purchasing and owning a plug-in EV. On average, we receive a call a day from members interested in learning more about electric vehicles and charging. Throughout the years, this conversation has shifted from inquiring about the types of electric vehicles available, to already owning one or considering purchasing a second.

Dakota Electric has enrolled 461 electric vehicles in one of our two special EV programs to ensure home charging comes at a discounted rate. The success of this program, coupled with the advancement of EV technology becoming more mainstream, allows us to expand services for our members.

In August, we installed four level-two, pay-per-use chargers at our Farmington headquarters. These chargers are available for use by visiting members, employees and the general public through the ChargeHub app. We also added three EVs to our fleet — two Chevy Bolts and a Hyundai Kona — that use dedicated chargers in our vehicle maintenance area.

While studies show that between 80% to 90% of EV charging happens at home, EV charging infrastructure is equally important for the advancement of EVs in the marketplace. On extended drives or road trips, EV owners look for available public charging options to make it to their destinations and back — often spending time and money at local businesses as their vehicles charge.

As an advocate for electric vehicles, having a public EV charging station helps promote electric vehicle usage and further educate our members about the benefits of electric vehicles.

Chargers will be available for community use soon. Those interested in learning more should contact the Energy Experts at 651-463-6243.