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Understanding how EV drivers make decisions about charging I American Public Power ... Page 3 of 11 <br /> Where to Locate chargers <br /> Minnesota's Elk River Municipal Utilities, a public power utility within commuting <br /> distance of Minneapolis-St. Paul, has learned the importance of location when it comes <br /> to charging stations. <br /> The utility installed two public chargers — a 24o-volt Level 2 charger and a 480-volt DC <br /> fast charger — that are powered by Zoo percent renewable energy. In addition, ERMU <br /> recently purchased a second Level 2 EV charger, which will be located at ERMU's <br /> headquarters and will serve its own and the city's fleets. <br /> ERMU's goal is to garner data about charging patterns and preferences that it can share <br /> with the broader utility industry, in keeping with a grant it received through the <br /> American Public Power Association's Demonstration of Energy & Efficiency <br /> Developments program. The utility is working with the city of Elk River and FleetCarma, <br /> which provides utilities with technology and services to plan for EVs and support <br /> charging operations. <br /> Utilities win praise from EV supporters when they install new charging stations. But <br /> others, such as store owners whose income is tied to gasoline sales, are not always <br /> happy with the move. ERMU contemplated this problem and came up with a diplomatic <br /> solution: Make potential competitors into partners. <br /> "We intentionally tried to identify some adversaries and make them partners. We knew <br /> that convenience stores and gas stations were probably not going to be happy about <br /> electric vehicles and electric vehicle public chargers," said Troy Adams, ERMU's general <br /> manager. <br /> Such partnerships benefit both the store owners and the EV owners. While the vehicle <br /> charges, the owner is likely to shop, providing revenue for the convenience store. In <br /> addition, the customers can get a cup of coffee while waiting, which speaks to another <br /> important consideration in terms of location: Is there a way EV owners can occupy their <br /> time while waiting for a vehicle to charge? <br /> "We tried to locate the chargers on heavily trafficked corridors, but also close to <br /> businesses that can support someone walking there, having a cup of coffee, having a <br /> doughnut. Our DC fast charger is by a fuel station, a grocery store, a liquor store. You <br /> https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/und <br /> 197 <br /> sanding-how-ev-drivers-make-decisi... 7/30/2018 <br />