All Charged Up
Posted by Warren Rojas / Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011
Restaurateur B.J. Stone doesn’t just have a just opened restaurant on his hands, he recently scored a brand spanking new Chevy Volt:
And while the hybrid concept car may seem like a novelty to some, Stone has taken an important step toward cementing its–and the fledgling Stone’s Cove Kitbar‘s–place in local history by establishing Herndon’s first independently-owned, electric vehicle charging station.
The so-called Dura-Station (pictured above) was erected by GE Energy last Thursday.
As of now, Stone is the lone beneficiary of the plug-in friendly fueling facilities.
But he insists he’s perfectly willing to share.
“I don’t know any other VOLT owners, but will enjoy the day when others are using the EVC–whether it’s a VOLT, Leaf or whatever comes along next,” he said of his open port policy. Stone is currently footing the bill for all on-site recharging, and said he’d been told the operating costs shouldn’t be “much more than using a dryer.”
A GE spokesperson said Stone is perfectly within his rights to restrict access/demand payment at the Herndon Dura-Station, adding that future models will come most likely come preconfigured with a credit card payment function. The spokesperson also confirmed that there is at least one other Dura-Station already operating in Northern Virginia, but declined to name the location.
Rival power provider ChargePoint America has set up a charging stations at local car dealerships/businesses.
No telling how long it will be before Stone greets his first charging buddy: General Motors had zero info regarding Volt sales in the D.C.-Metro market.
–Warren
Tags: alternative fuels, ChargePoint America, Chevy Volt, Dura-Station, GE Energy, General Motors, Gut Check, Herndon, hybrid vehicles, Northern Virginia Magazine, Stone's Cove Kitbar, Warren Rojas