Free Electric Vehicle Charging Stations On Offer

Tesla Offering 16 Stations, City Hall Looking For Other Offers

Barrie could be getting a lot more electric vehicle charging stations, and it wouldn’t cost the taxpayer a cent. City Hall Monday night heard an offer from Tesla Motors to install approximately sixteen charging stations on municipal property throughout the city. Thanks to a promotional program run by the manufacture, chargers that normally set you back about $5,000 won’t cost the city anything, aside from the land upon which to install the charger. Council voted to have city staff take two weeks to go over the offer and see if there are any other manufacturers interested in making a similar offer. City staff will then be expected to look at where the charging stations will be best suited, and work with Tesla on getting them installed. No locations have been settled on yet, but City Hall says Tesla has expressed interest in Centennial Beach and the Collier Street Parkade.  While the charging stations have the Tesla brand name on the side, four of the proposed sixteen chargers to be provided are universal, that they could be used by any electric vehicle owner. City Hall says that ratio may be improved through negotiation, but points out the chargers are being provided at no charge by Tesla. The entire offer will be discussed again at the next general committee meeting on November 16th.