On October 5, Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance joined community leaders and green energy advocates to unveil a new electric vehicle charging station downtown. The first of its kind in the Shenandoah Valley, and one of only 30 in the Commonwealth, this charging station allows downtown visitors to plug-in, charge-up and patronize local businesses. The level two charging station will fully charge an electric car from ‘empty’ in four to six hours and is currently free of charge for visitors while the Harrisonburg Electric Commission monitors usage to set rates.

This collaborative effort, led by founding board member of Downtown Renaissance and current chair of the Downtown Dining Alliance, Dave Miller, is part of a pilot project for Virginia Main Street to bring more charging stations to Virginia’s downtowns. As Virginia Main Street Program Coordinator Kyle Meyer said, “We are committed to encouraging and promoting a more expansive electric vehicle network in Virginia. It’s good for the environment, and it’s good for business.”

For more information on existing charging stations, you can use this searchable map or scan this list of current and proposed stations. Tools, resources and financial incentives for installing an electric charging station in your area can be found in detail in the Virginia Get Ready Initial Electric Vehicle Plan or by contacting Virginia Clean Cities. Check out local news coverage of this unveiling from JMU, NBC, ABC and the Augusta Free Press.