Electric vehicles continue to gain popularity as a means of reducing carbon emissions affecting climate change, and DeKalb is ready to become a more popular destination.
Promoted by the City of DeKalb and its Citizens’ Environmental Commission (CEC), the first city-authorized electric vehicle (EV) charging station has been installed. It is located in the Vaughn Parking Lot, accessible from both First and Second Streets, with two parking spaces reserved at the east end of Tom Sparks Auto. The site is one block from Lincoln Highway, providing easy access to the downtown shopping district. The charging station was paid for the City of DeKalb, and the Public Works Department supervised its funding and installation.
As this is a pilot project, charges are free to the public Sufficient usage will indicate whether additional units would be beneficial, encouraging travelers to stop for a charge while they dine or shop in the interim.
The new unit joins two other EV charging stations within the city limits; 1) on the property of the Kishwaukee Water Reclamation District, also free of charge; and 2) on the first level of the NIU parking garage on Normal Road, for a fee.
All three stations are part of ChargePoint, the largest network of EV charging stations in the country. As the majority of electric vehicle owners have ChargePoint accounts, DeKalb is now a reliable stop-over location between larger metropolitan areas such as Rockford and Chicago.