In January 2012, two electric car charging stations were installed in Chelmsford – one in the parking lot of the main library, and one on Vinal Square in North Chelmsford.
Both of these chargers were funded by a grant awarded to the Town of Chelmsford, one of 25 towns across the state to win the grant from the Department of Energy Resources. This grant not only covered the installation costs but also covered the first two years of fees for the drivers of electric vehicles.
Two cars can charge at a time, and the chargers are activated when a driver taps their ChargePoint card on the charger’s screen. The charger can then be plugged into an electric vehicle, with charges taking anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours to recharge the battery, depending on how low it is. To finish the transaction, the driver taps their card on the charger again. There is also a phone number on the charger in case of questions and malfunctions, or for drivers without ChargePoint cards (888-758-4389). If called, ChargePoint can remotely activate the charger and/or send a card for future use.
Although there weren’t many electric vehicles in the Commonwealth when these chargers were installed, the chargers are frequently used now. The ChargePoint website has a charging station locator map to help drivers find car chargers locally and across the country.
If you have any questions about the car charger, please contact the Town of Chelmsford’s Public Facilities Department.