City Offers Free Charging at New Stations

It's been a few weeks since the four new electrical vehicle charging stations were installed at the Hermosa Beach City Hall parking lot and on the 300 block of Pier Avenue. But at first there was a problem with signage and a couple other problems, so there wasn't quite the big announcement that was planned.

"It didn't get the proper send off," said Mayor Jeff Duclos.

The trick now is to let the public know about the new infrastructure. So the city has decided to offer two hours of free charging for a limited time. The city council will take up the issue of how much users should pay at its May 22nd council meeting.

Duclos said that the charging stations have been in the works for approximately three years.

"It's the prime barrier that we need to overcome to get people into electric cars," he said about the need to build the right infrastructure so that people aren't afraid of heading out in an electric car and running out of juice. "So it really is a smart move by cities, in my estimation, to be at the forefront of that."

He said that while there are not any additional charging stations currently in the works, he does think that eventually the city will install more. As to whether the city will only cover the cost of use and maintenance when the council discusses the issue or try to make some extra money, Duclos said that he didn't see the stations as a "profit center."

"I don't see it that way," he said, speaking only for himself. "I think the goal is to try and encourage usage."