Beverly Gives New Jolt To Electric Vehicle Owners

BEVERLY, MA — Beverly is giving a big jolt to its plan to increase electric vehicle usage in the city.

The city installed eight electric vehicle charging stations at municipal parking lots, Beverly High School and Ayers Ryal Side Elementary School. The dual-port stations will be available 24 hours a day at the lots on Washington Street and Pond Street and during non-school hours at the schools. While school is in session, those areas are restricted to school employees and students at the high school.

"We're excited to install electric vehicle charging stations in the City of Beverly and to support our residents' transition from gas-powered to hybrid and electric vehicles," Mayor Mike Cahill said. "The city parking lot charging stations will help draw visitors to support our local businesses."

Cahill said the city hopes to provide charging stations at all school lots, Lynch and Obear parks in the near future. Beverly Middle School also has a charging station.

Charging stations were also recently added at the Cummings Center.

The electric vehicle charging stations were funded in part from grants awarded from National Grid's Make Ready Program and the Massachusetts Electric Vehicle Incentive Program. The utility will also provide a rebate towards certain hosts' Level 2 charging stations.

"We are proud to do our part in support of this important energy initiative," National Grid Director of Customer Sales & Solutions David Moreira said. "At National Grid, we are committed to shaping a sustainable future and the deployment of this technology offers our customers and communities clean and affordable choices while delivering economic and environmental benefits."

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(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)

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