EV stations installed in Sewickley, charging fees yet to be set

Electronic vehicle drivers will soon have a new place to charge along the Route 65 corridor.

EV stations were recently installed at the Division Street parking lot behind Caliente Pizza & Draft House and Pennsylvania Academy of Dance in Sewickley.

The setup includes three machines, two with dual charging capabilities and one with single service, at the far end of the lot. Construction began in August.

Managers from both businesses said the installation did not impact patrons and hope it will attract more people to the borough.

“I think it’s a good idea,” Caliente assistant general manager Scott Clark said on Oct. 28. “I see Teslas and electric vehicles out there all the time. It makes sense to put them in.”

He said the bartenders have more daily interaction with customers, and they have not any negative feedback about the devices.

The dance studio has clients ages 16 months to adults.

Manager Kelly Penz said she is happy to see the borough add EV stations.

“Parking is premium here,” Penz said. “I’m all for helping the earth and electric transitioning. They did (construction) during the mornings, which is less busy. Nobody has stated a complaint about there never being a place to park. I’d say it’s a smooth transition.”

The charging areas are treated as regular parking spaces, meaning drivers will have to pay to stay like any other visitor.

Borough parking enforcement is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays. Cost is $1.50 per hour with time available in 10-minute increments.

Borough officials are working on an ordinance establishing charging fees. It is expected to be discussed at a council meeting Nov. 12.

Council vice president Julie Barnes said charging stations were originally brought up a few years ago by Sustainable Sewickley.

The environmentally-focused group was in talks with other entities to possibly bring in the devices.

However, the project did not get off the ground until the borough partnered with Duquesne Light early this year.

“It’s kind of been in the works for a while,” Barnes said. “I think we would like to turn to more sustainability efforts next year. There are a few council members who are going to be going to an upcoming conference put on by Sustainable Pennsylvania. … We’re going to be learning about resiliency in communities. Hopefully, it will be just the beginning of some more substantial sustainability efforts we can look at in the next couple of years.”

Borough manager Donna Kaib said talks with the utility company began in January.

Council in May authorized an application for a $40,000 investment through its Community Charging Program.

The borough also worked with Duquesne Light to find a suitable location for the stations. Total project cost was estimated at about $75,000.

“Duquesne Light designed and built the electric infrastructure from the power grid to the charging stations,” Kaib said via email Oct. 29. “We have installed five Flo Core+ Max chargers with two dual ports and one single port. Council is anticipating passing the ordinance for the fees at the November meeting. We are projecting service on these charges to start by the end of the year.

“By offering charging stations within Sewickley Borough, we are expanding the charging network within the Allegheny County limits. This will also attract more of the public to our local shops and restaurants within the borough.”

Messages with Sustainable Sewickley were not returned as of press time.

The Flo chargers are the same ones installed earlier this year in Aspinwall. They were officially turned on in early September.

People can pay via credit card at the machines.

Aspinwall’s charging rates from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. are $2 per hour for the first two hours and $5 each additional hour.

Charging rates from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. is a flat $2 per hour.

Aspinwall borough manger Melissa Lang O’Malley the stations have been “used lightly” in the nearly two months since activation and netted about $50 in revenue for the borough so far.

“I encourage other municipalities to work with Duquesne Light,” O’Malley said via email Oct. 30. “They’ve been an incredible resource to Aspinwall. We’re really fortunate to have them here in our community. It’s gone incredibly smooth.”

Barnes declined to disclose possible Sewickley charging rates until after the November meeting.

She hopes the stations will spark an interest in people and electrify more visitors to town.

Visitor feedback

Edgeworth resident Josh Knight drives a Tesla. He stopped by Caliente to pickup food for his family Oct. 28.

Knight said he usually charges his vehicle at home, but Sewickley’s stations may be useful in a pinch.

“If I’m going to run some errands while in town, it’s nice to have,” Knight said. “Maybe it will encourage people to stay a little longer.”

James Weatherby of Clover, S.C., made the trek to Pittsburgh Oct. 28 to see the Steeler game with several friends, including Rich Herbster of Aliquippa. They all met up at Caliente.

Weatherby said he does not drive an electric vehicle, but has noticed EV stations starting to pop up in the Palmetto State.

“I don’t see anyone using them, but I don’t think there are complaints,” he said. “”I’ve never seen anyone using them when I pay my water bill.”

Herbster called the EV stations a win-win for the borough and motorists.

“Who loses?” he asked. “If you’re the user that’s what you want. You want the electricity. If you’re not, other than them taking up a parking place that’s designed for charging, I can’t see why anybody would care. I can’t see why anyone would object to that.”

According to a report from the International Energy Agency’s Global EV Outlook, electric car sales are expected to reach 17 million this year with projections of one in five vehicles on the road to be electric in both the United States and European Union.

Sewickley is one of the latest Allegheny County municipalities to get charging stations through Duquesne Light’s Community Charging Program, which is open to local governments, school districts, businesses and nonprofits.

There are also stations in Ambridge, Oakmont, Ross, Swissvale, West Mifflin and Wilkinsburg.