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Eighteen Houston, Texas area Walgreens are about to receive a $10 million infrastructure upgrade. Energy company, NRG, will deploy some of the first commercial charging stations for electric vehicles in early 2011. The project is part of NRG’s eVgo Networks which includes the installation of over 100 “Freedom Stations,” as they are calling it, in the parking lot of select Walgreens retail stores.
The new stations will have two types of charge, a Level 2 charge, using an AC current that takes up to 4 hours to fully charge, or a DC rapid charge which takes about 30 minutes to completely fill the battery. In addition to the charging stations, NRG, in cooperation with hosting retailers, will supply convenience stations for their customers, available during the hours of retail operations.
NRG offers a subscription service, providing the security of a fully charged battery at home and away. Electric car manufacturers, as well as the U.S. government are introducing special offers to consumers who buy electric in order to obtain statistics for further research. Keep an eye out for charging stations popping up in New York City as well as through out the country.