Just Sayin': LI homes can meet EV charging needs

LI homes can meet EV charging needs

An item from The Point questioned whether Long Island has enough chargers for all its electric vehicles, noting there are only 300 publicly available charging stations on Long Island [“Does LI have enough chargers for all its EVs?” Opinion, Sept. 16]. The item did not explain that at these charging locations, there are multiple ports which allow more vehicles to charge at the same time, currently a total of about 865 ports. But more important, there are many more private chargers at our homes.

Long Island is a great market for EVs because we are geographically compact and about 80% of us live in single-family homes capable of meeting most of our charging needs. That’s about 800,00 homes, each capable of conveniently and inexpensively charging EVs overnight at 40% discounted electric rates. Studies show that 80% of EV charging happens at home. I charge my EV almost exclusively at home.

Residents of multi-unit dwellings do have more challenges charging EVs. However, generous federal, New York State and PSEG Long Island incentives are available to significantly reduce the cost of providing EV charging for multi-unit dwelling residents.

 — Rosemary Mascali, Manhasset

The writer chairs the Drive Electric Long Island Education and Outreach Committee.

I understand Karthika Namboothiri’s concern about the absence of enough publicly available charging stations to support the expanded use of electric vehicles on Long Island. It seems clear, however, that the number of available charging stations here is growing and will continue to grow at a rate that will support the expanding use of electric cars.

The Town of Oyster Bay has recently approved use of a $490,000 grant to finance the installation of 22 more Level 2 charging ports at town parks and other town facilities. Other towns are likely to follow Oyster Bay’s lead.

This summer, my own Plainview-Old Bethpage Public Library, of which I am a trustee, installed two charging stations in its parking lot, an initiative that likely would be followed by other libraries throughout Nassau and Suffolk counties.

The age of the electric vehicle is coming here quickly, and it is increasingly apparent that local municipalities already are recognizing that by providing the public charging stations needed to make it a reality.
 — Mike Polansky, Plainview