Electric vehicle charging stations coming to downtown | News

Tampa, Florida -- Mayor Bob Buckhorn will be joined by community leaders to unveil the latest Parking Division initiative - electric vehicle charging stations on Oct. 12.

As part of Coulomb Technologies' expansion of its $37 million ChargePoint America program into six new U.S. cities, the City of Tampa applied for and received 10 electric vehicle charging stations at no cost to the City.

In exchange for the receipt and installation of the charging stations, the City of Tampa will be participating in a Department of Energy grant monitoring program through December 2013.

The ChargePoint America program is made possible by a $15 million grant funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through the Transportation Electrification Initiative administered by the Department of Energy.

Vehicle owners can access the charging stations in several ways including using a smart phone app that is available at  www.novacharge.net. You can also set up a ChargePoint network account, use a credit card with radio frequency identification technology, or call the number on the front of the station for assistance.

Initially, the City of Tampa will not be charging a service fee for use of the charging stations, however motorists will be required to pay to park as the 10 charging stations have been installed at the following City parking garages and surface lots:

1.     Jackson Street Lot (City Hall)
2.     Fort Brooke Parking Garage (2)
3.     Tampa Convention Center Garage
4.     William F. Poe Garage (2)
5.     Twiggs Street Garage
6.     South Regional Garage
7.     Centro Ybor Garage
8.     Palm Avenue Garage

The unveiling will take place at 10:30 a.m. in the Jackson Street surface lot, located at 420 East Jackson Street.