Austin Energy surpasses 10,000th plug-in charge at public stations

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Drivers of plug-in electric vehicles this month surpassed their 10,000th charging session using Austin Energy’s Plug-In EVerywhere network of charging stations, saving 7,363 gallons of gasoline. In terms on money, this means about $24,000 in gas money saved for motorists based on $3.25 per gallon of gasoline.

The charging stations, powered with 100 percent renewable energy from Austin Energy’s GreenChoice program, also avoided 1,391 pounds of greenhouse gases from being emitted into the atmosphere.

On average, the electricity delivered through the charging sessions for all drivers would enable an all-electric Nissan Leaf to travel 162,000 miles – or the equivalent of 13.5 years of driving by the average motorist.

Austin Energy data shows that 90 percent of electric vehicle drivers charge their vehicle primarily at home and drive less than 40 miles a day, which is well within the range of a vehicle charged at home. Some plug-ins, like the Chevy Volt, have an onboard gasoline tank and generator that allow drivers to extend the vehicle’s range to more than 390 miles when needed.

The public charging stations enable motorists to “top off” their tank with electric fuel so they can do all or most of their regular daily driving without needing gasoline or running out of electric fuel.

“Charging your electric vehicle is much like charging your cell phone,” said Karl Popham, Austin Energy Manager of Electric Vehicles and Emerging Technologies. “You do most of your charging at home. The charging network provides you with the convenience to go about your day or night and never have to go to the gas station again.”

The Plug-In EVerywhere network consists of 152 charging stations at 57 locations throughout Austin. The network was fully deployed at the beginning of last year.