Ohio Turnpike’s electric vehicle charging stations are open for business

By BRIAN NEWBACHER

Ohio Turnpike

BEREA – Elected officials recently joined leaders from the Ohio Turnpike and DriveOhio during a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open electric vehicle charging stations at two locations along the Ohio Turnpike in time for the start of the summer travel season.

The Electrify America charging stations feature 50 kilowatt (kW), 150kW and 350kW DC Fast Chargers. Chargers at 350kW can charge capable vehicles at speeds of up to 20 miles of range per minute.

The new charging stations are the first along the Ohio Turnpike. They’re located at the Wyandot and Blue Heron Service Plazas in Genoa and are available for immediate use. Another set of charging stations will open soon at the Indian Meadow and Tiffin River Service Plazas in West Unity.

“Our modern Service Plazas are the perfect place for these new charging stations,” said Executive Director Ferzan M. Ahmed, P.E.  “Customers can charge their electric vehicles up quickly and while doing so they can grab a bite to eat or a cup of coffee and get back on the road. More ultra-fast public charging stations will make EV travel on the Ohio Turnpike more convenient whether it’s from Indiana to Pennsylvania or from New York City to Los Angeles.”

A demonstration of how the charging stations work also occurred during the ribbon cutting. Electric vehicles from local dealerships were on display including a Nissan Leaf from Yark Nissan in Toledo and a Chevy Bolt from Bauman Auto Group in Fremont.

Electrify America stations feature the major non-proprietary standards, including CCS, CHAdeMO and J1772 connectors, allowing nearly all electric vehicles on the road today to plug in and charge, including Tesla Models S and X that have an adaptor. Customers pay for the service by using credit and debit cards. Pricing information can be found here: https://www.electrifyamerica.com/pricing.

Electrify America will have more than 500 charging stations operational nationwide by the end of 2019. The company selects locations to offer customers access to amenities, services and conveniences while their EV is charging as illustrated with its collaboration with the Ohio Turnpike.  

Drivers can locate chargers at: www.electrifyamerica.com/locate-charger.