Spring 2022 Hometown Messenger

Continued from page 3 Shakopee Public Utilities, which already has a publicly available charg ing station at its facility, has plans to install additional charging stations around the city, as well SPU General Manager Greg Drent said the goal is to place them at locations that are already in use by Shakopee residents and regional visitors SPU is powering these with completely renewable energy “It’s important for convenience for people that have these EVs,”Drent said “People with EVs can also charge them while they’re doing fun things in the city” SPU’s stations will be at Southbridge Dog Park and at Lions Park, with more planned for the long-term future “We’re trying to do the right thing and have spots for these people to charge up when they’re out and about,” Drent said “The more they get used, the more we’ll put in” Along with the charging stations, which are expected to be opera tional by summer, both the city and SPU have invested in electric vehicles to add to their respective fleets The city received its Ford Mustang Mach-E in the fall and has also purchased a Ford F-150 Lightning, which will be available later this year These fully electric vehicles have zero tailpipe emissions, which dramatically lowers smog and greenhouse gas emissions even when considering electricity generation The Mustang Mach-E is capable of traveling about 250 miles on one charge The city’s electrical inspector uses the Mustang Mach-E because he travels the most daily miles of any other city employee, driving across the city to complete various inspections “From a fuel economy standpoint, all that stopping and going is just horrible for a vehicle, but it’s perfect for the electric,” Kerski said Eventually, the city hopes to incorporate more EVs into its fleet, particu larly for other inspectorswhodrive a significant amount of in-townmiles “This is the future of cars, and with fuel becoming a limited resource and increasing in cost, it’s a sound financial decision that ultimately pays for itself over time,” Kerski said

Shakopee Public Utilities has a publicly available EV charging station on its campus at 255 Sarazin St

Electric Vehicle Fast Facts EVs have the range you need for a day out

EVs can fit the whole family and then some There’s an EV to suit almost any need, and they come in all shapes and sizes: sedans, hatchbacks, minivans and SUVs Some models come with all-wheel drive and can tow more than 5,000 pounds Worried about the cold weather? No problem Scandinavian countries have the highest percentage of EV drivers in the world (and it’s cold there)!Withmore consistent acceleration and a lower center of gravity, EVs often perform better in cold weather than gasoline alternatives Battery life can be affected on the most bitterly cold days, with some seeing a 40% reduction at -10 º F The greenhouse gas reduction is real EVs in Minnesota usually provide a greenhouse gas reduction of at least 65% Choosing renewable energy options through Shako pee Public Utilities can achieve greenhouse gas reductions of 95% compared to gas vehicles Minerals used in EV batters are recyclable Most materials used in EV battery manufacturing, such as copper and aluminum, are widely recycled This cuts down on the need for new raw materials *Source: Drive Electric MN

Today’s EVs can easily travel more than 100 miles on a single charge Going for a longer drive? There are charging stations across the country, and it's easy to find the closest one to you using www plugshare com Minnesota has over 1,000 chargers Unless you’re planning a long trip (more than 100 miles), you likely won’t need a public charger But if you do, Level 2 chargers (240 volts) give you 10–20 miles of range per hour while charging

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