Electric vehicle charging station installed at Shenandoah National Park

Electric vehicle drivers can now charge their vehicles on Skyline Drive. A public electric vehicle charging station has been installed at the Harry F. Byrd Visitor Center parking lot at Milepost 51 on Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah National Park.

The Level 2 charger was installed by Shenandoah National Park and coordinated by Virginia Clean Cities through financial support from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Clean Cities National Parks Initiative. The 240 volt, 30 amp charger provides 7.2kw of charging per hour of use. In addition to the electric vehicle charging station, the park also purchased two electric vehicles, 7 propane powered mowers and installed 2 electric vehicle charging stations for Government vehicle use.

The charger is operated on a first-come, first-serve basis. The Park also has twenty six electric and hybrid-electric fuel vehicles in its fleet and encourages visitors to make their driving more sustainable.

“This charger adds an historic and beautiful location to a robust and growing network of more than 750 public chargers at more than 300 locations throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia” said Alleyn Harned, Executive Director of Virginia Clean Cities. “Zero emission electric transportation, with cars you can charge at home, has a future with partnerships and leaders like Shenandoah National Park.”

There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony at 3:30 pm on August 20, 2016 at the Byrd Visitor Center parking lot to celebrate the public accessibility to the electric vehicle charging station and to highlight the energy efficient equipment and vehicles the park is now using in its operations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The public is invited to attend. This event will occur following the Re-Dedication of the Hawksbill Summit Observation Platform.

About the National Park Service: More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 412 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Because of their location, national parks are places where the effects of climate change are particularly noticeable and national parks program measures, educates, and develops strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

About Virginia Clean Cities: Virginia Clean Cities at James Madison University (VCC-JMU) is a government and industry partnership designed to promote healthful air through the reduction of petroleum consumption in the transportation sector by advancing the use of alternative fuels and vehicles, idle reduction technologies, hybrid electric vehicles, fuel blends, and fuel economy. Virginia Clean Cities is one of nearly 100 Department of Energy (DOE) sponsored coalitions across the U.S. that help meet the objectives of improving air quality, developing regional economic opportunities, and reducing the use of imported petroleum. Virginia Clean Cities was incorporated in November 2001 as a 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation.