Stephen R. Kraus
Manager – Media Relations
Madison Gas and Electric Co.
608-252-7907
E-mail address: skraus@mge.com
Fueling takes minutes, not hours. Intercity travel greatly expanded.
Madison, Wis., Aug. 27, 2013—Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) announced today
the first public electric vehicle (EV) quick charger in Wisconsin at
Kelley’s Market Mobil, 3859 E. Washington Ave., near Interstate 90/94.
The unit can charge a vehicle battery to 80% of full capacity in less than 30 minutes, compared to about four hours using a Level 2 charging system.
EV owners now have greater flexibility scheduling on-road charging along with an additional charging option when commuting longer distances to and
from the Madison area.
MGE already has 26 Level 1 and 2 charging stations located around Dane County. The units are designed to top off a vehicle’s battery while at the health club, a movie or the library. That charge often allows drivers to get home where an overnight charge brings the battery up to full power. The
quick charger makes it practical to charge your vehicle while you wait.
This new option removes a major obstacle consumers have when considering an EV purchase.
“By installing our quick charging unit along Interstate 90/94, MGE has taken a major step toward giving EV drivers an opportunity to travel
greater distances more conveniently,” said Andy Bartosh, ABB Operations Manager – EV Charging Infrastructure, New Berlin, Wis.
MGE is conducting a multiyear study of charging equipment and EV drivers’ needs and preferences. With this information the company will learn how to best support the energy needs of EV use and its effects on the electric grid. The project is partially funded by a U.S. Department of Energy
stimulus grant.
Vehicle charging has tripled each year since the beginning of the study in 2009. MGE has nearly 140 drivers participating in the study.
About ABB
ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in 100 countries and employs about 145,000.
About MGE
MGE (www.mge.com) generates and distributes electricity to 140,000 customers in Dane County, Wis., and purchases and distributes natural gas
to 145,000 customers in seven south-central and western Wisconsin counties.
MGE’s parent company is MGE Energy, Inc. (Nasdaq: MGEE). The company’s roots in the Madison area date back more than 150 years.
