Electric utility watching what’s happening on I-85

Electric-run vehicles are able to juice up at a recently-opened charging station operated by the Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative at exit 4 on I-85 near the line between Oconee and Anderson counties.  Now operating there are 12 Tesla superchargers and one ChargePoint Express 250 fast charger.  Jim Lovinggood, Blue Ridge president/CEO, explains in the newest “South Carolina Living” magazine that, as the auto industry has shown a move to embrace electric-powered cars, Blue Ridge sees a potential market for charging stations.  Although it is an endeavor still             under evaluation, Lovinggood says results are impressive.  He wrote the following:  “In the first billing cycle, the electric meter at the (I-85) charging station registered a substantial level of kilowatt-hour consumption.  Other data collected by the chargers indicated that autos driven from Chicago, Miami and other distant locales were among those stopping in for a ‘fill-up.’”