Electric Car Charger Available at Lamar Chamber of Commerce

Soon Ready to be Put into Use

Owners of electric powered cars will soon be able to charge their vehicles in Lamar, according to Stephanie Gonzales, Executive Director of SECED, Southeast Colorado Enterprise Development. Several months ago Gonzales informed the Prowers County Commissioners and Lamar City Council, that a grant application made to Colorado Charge Ahead last fall had been approved.  “We don’t have any charge units for electric powered vehicles coming through our area, so I applied for dual charge units that let two cars power up at the same time,” she explained.  Gonzales said they will be located in Springfield, Las Animas, Eads, Lamar and Ordway, adding that Lamar’s will be located at the Welcome Center.

Can Power Different Electric Vehicles

“We were referred to in the past by the state as the ‘final frontier’ because there are so few areas to charge up a vehicle,” she explained. Gonzales said the design will allow for universal usage and not be limited to just one brand of vehicle.  The SECED director said the units will have internet capabilities so she won’t have to make constant visits to each unit in southeast Colorado, but she does plan on periodic site visits.  She estimated that, depending on the type of vehicle that uses them, it would take between two to four hours for a complete charge.  “This works out that motorists will have the opportunity to spend some time in each of the communities and get to know about life in Lamar or wherever they use them,” she stated.

The Lamar unit is now in place but is not operational at this point. The final hook-up for the charger has to be completed before it can take a credit card payment from a customer.  Gonzales said recently that a formal event for the installation will be held in the near future.

By Russ Baldwin