For auto dealerships, adding EVs to their offerings requires some effort—and some substantial cash outlay. Automakers including Ford and GM are giving their dealers a choice—make the necessary investments in training and charging infrastructure, or don’t sell EVs.
Akins Ford in Winder, Georgia, the largest dealership by volume in the state (as reported by Georgia Public Broadcasting) has apparently chosen to embrace the future, and is installing not only 19 new EV chargers, but solar panels as well.
New York-based Charge Enterprises will be overseeing the installation. The company’s CEO, Paul Williams, said the project originally included only chargers, but quickly expanded. “Akins Ford asked us to do a feasibility project for them, which has now turned into a full-blown project to install about 450 kW of rooftop solar that will generate power for the next 30 years.”
The two projects are designed to support each other. “We can charge six vehicles simultaneously,” Williams said. “So there’ll be six parking spaces and they’ll be covered with solar panels above.”
Six of the chargers will be for public use, and the remaining thirteen will be used by the dealership for service and maintenance.
No, Akins Ford was not among the dealers that signed an open letter to President Biden, futilely asking him to “tap the brakes” on federal EV policies.
Over the next few years, thousands of dealerships will be installing EV charging infrastructure, and that represents a huge opportunity for companies like Charge Enterprises (and Envirospark, which has signed on to install 432 DC fast charging stations for Ford and Lincoln dealerships in 9 states).
Source: Georgia Public Broadcasting
