New Solar-Powered EV Charging Station on I-85 in Georgia Delivers 300% More Power

WEST POINT, Ga., June 15, 2020 /3BL Media/ – The Ray, Donovan Energy, and ABB have partnered to upgrade the solar-powered electric vehicle charging station located at the visitor information center (VIC) located off Interstate 85 in West Point, Georgia. The station was commissioned on June 3, 2020. Charging at this location is free and provided by The Ray, a nonprofit organization and 18-mile living transportation lab located along the I-85 corridor between LaGrange, Georgia, and the Georgia/Alabama state line.

This station is three times more powerful than the original 50 kW station installed in 2015 by The Ray in partnership with Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia. That station was the Southeast’s first solar-powered EV charging station, and, prior to its installation, travel between the state capitols of Georgia and Alabama was not possible for the majority of electric vehicles.

Now, The Ray has taken another innovative step forward with this ABB 175 kW Terra HP, a modular, high-powered charging system designed to minimize charging time. “At The Ray, we want to demonstrate what’s next and showcase the electrification of transportation,” said John Picard, Vice President of The Ray. “With this new charger, we can show how easy it is to store energy and rapidly recharge. Range anxiety has always been an issue with electric cars, but that’s not the case anymore as The Ray switches on the most efficient fast charger in the market.”

“From a drive-over tire pressure and tread safety check and solar panels that generate clean energy at the visitor center, to this upgraded EV charging station, to the testing of emerging technologies along I-85 like all-weather striping for machine-operated vehicles, Georgia DOT is proud to work with The Ray,” said Georgia DOT Commissioner Russell R. McMurry, P.E. “The goal is to bring sustainable and transformative innovations to transportation.”

The ABB modular system was recommended and procured by Donovan Energy, which served as the technology partner to The Ray for this electrification project. Donovan Energy, a clean energy project development and finance company based in Cincinnati, has delivered over 400 energy efficiency and building retrofit projects since 2016. One of the most important aspects of the ABB Terra HP is that it is future-proofed. As a modular system, a second 175 kW power unit can be added, and allowing the system to easily scale up to 350 kW and immediately serve the next generation of EVs. “We felt the flexible architecture of the ABB Terra HP high power solution was an ideal fit for what The Ray was looking to accomplish in this upgrade of their charging infrastructure,” said Jeff Martin, Chief Operating Officer of Donovan Energy.

“ABB is committed to deploying technology for the advancement of society in an efficient and sustainable manner,” said Bob Stojanovic, Director of ABB’s EV Infrastructure business in North America. “We are privileged to have the opportunity to deploy our DC fast charging technology in a fashion that fits with The Ray’s vision for innovative transportation models and connected communities.”

“The debut of high-powered, 175kW fast charging on our interstate is a remarkable effort on more than one account,” said Harriet Langford, President of The Ray. “Not only does it highlight our dedication to the electrification of the transportation system, but it’s another example of how The Ray can evolve and upgrade previously piloted technologies.”

“Having EV chargers in convenient locations like rest stops are the next frontier for electric vehicle charging,” said Tim Echols of the state’s Public Service Commission. “The Ray, Georgia DOT and City of West Point are leading the way in bringing this important technology from theory to reality.”

While most EV charging happens at home, the availability of fast-charging stations, like the one that The Ray is deploying, is an essential and strategic component to the future of our interstate system and infrastructure. Stations like the one at the VIC on I-85 allow travelers to quickly recharge and travel long distances confidently. The solar-powered EV (PV4EV) charging station is grid-connected to ensure its operability day or night and all year long. The clean energy generated by the twelve-panel Solar LIFT adds further renewable resources to the local grid that supplies power to the ABB Terra HP, ensuring that clean cars can be fueled by clean, renewable energy on The Ray on I-85.