COW CREEK UMPQUA TRIBE OPENS UNIVERSAL EV CHARGING STATION – KQEN News Radio
May 29, 2024 3:50 a.m.
Seven Feathers Casino Resort and 7 Feathers Truck & Travel Center celebrated the grand opening of the largest non-Tesla electric vehicle charging station in Oregon on Tuesday.
A release from the Tribe said built by Electric Era and installed by Umpqua Indian Utility Cooperative, the charging station brings fast, reliable and universal EV charging that sees hundreds of thousands of travelers but has spotty services for clean transportation.
The EV charging station is located just off Interstate 5 at Exit 99. It is able to serve 12 vehicles using battery-backed technology that provides level 3 fast-charging. A complete charge for most electric vehicles is estimated to take between 15 and 35 minutes, and cost less than $25.
Cow Creek Umpqua Chairman Carla Keene said, “This is a very important step forward in our green initiatives for the coming years”. Keene said the Tribal board has indicated interest in exploring energy independence and what that would look like in many forms for their Tribal businesses. Keene said, “We feel that this rapid, universal electric vehicle charging station supports our overall mission of making decisions that benefit our Tribal citizens and our community for seven generations into the future”.
The release said that Electric Era was founded by former SpaceX engineers, and works to make EV fast charging reliable, affordable, and ubiquitous. The company partners with Tribal refill retailers and convenience store owners in rural and underserved communities to deliver high-speed, grid-friendly charging through their EV Fast Charging Stations. Each station is equipped with hardware, software, and services that ensure 98 percent plus reliability.
