Electric vehicle charging station installed in Hobart

HOBART — City officials are excited about the benefits a new electric vehicle charging station could bring to Hobart.

Bob Fulton, assistant to Mayor Brian Snedecor, said the station was recently installed outside of City Hall, and it's one of a few available in Lake County.

With the unitlocated in Hobart's downtown, it has the potential to attract out-of-town business to that area of the city, Fulton said.

"A lot of those people that have electric vehicles don't want to go very far from where they know is a charging station," he said.

Fulton said the unit is operational and open for public use. He said the City Council has been asked to create an ordinance establishing rates to use the station.

In addition to bringing more visitors to the community, Fulton said the project adds to the many initiatives Hobart has pursued to become a green municipality.

Planning for the installation of the charging station began about a year ago. Fulton said South Shore Clean Cities approached Hobart and started the collaboration to add the unit outside of City Hall.

He said NIPSCO later entered into an agreement to fully fund the project. That agreement is saving Hobart and South Shore Clean Cities about $7,800 on the station and about $1,300 on warranties and software charges, Fulton said.

He said there was a deadline to install the new charging station. During the rush to meet that schedule, city staff overlooked the need to obtain permission from the Board of Public Works and Safety to install the unit on a Hobart easement. The board has since provided that approval.

Source: Electric vehicle charging station installed in Hobart