Evolution of an EV station
It was several years in the making, but Seeley Lake's first electric vehicle charging station was finally completed in summer 2022!
A huge thanks to Missoula Electric Coop for securing the grant funding to make this project happen, and being the project lead to get this new piece of community infrastructure installed on the grounds of the Foundation Building.
Did you know that electric vehicles have a map of all active EV charging stations programmed into their navigation systems? Your car shows you where the next filling options are, and calculates what routes are possible based on how much juice you have left.
It's a different way of traveling. Rather than the ubiquitous gas stations we all rely on and don't think about, EV users have to more actively plan their itineraries.
There's a network of superchargers planned for the Mission Valley and Flathead Valley, for travelers heading from Missoula to Glacier. MEC didn't want the Seeley-Swan corridor to get left behind for tourism. That's why this project was born.
If the first couple months the EV station was open are any indication, this project will be well used. Halfway through construction, people were already fueling their cars! The station got used almost 40 times in July and August 2022, before the station even went live on EV navigation systems. People were finding it by word of mouth - before their cars knew about it, and before paving went in!
Below are some fun photos of the evolution of this project.
Time to break ground!
Grant funding approved. Materials finally all arrived.
Electricity trenched to site.
MEC employee and Seely Lake resident Mitch Dupree makes sure installation goes well
Transformer installed
Time for concrete
Ballards go in
Missoula Electic Coop project lead
Dan, the MEC project lead, was the technical support to bring this project to completion. He also painted the ballards!
Laying asphalt
It was a HOT day to be laying asphalt. Thanks guys!
Freshly paved!
Seeley Lake Market Shed
The shed for the Seeley Lake Market is delivered. A big thanks to a MEC Operation Round Up grant for this long-awaited storage space for Sunday Market materials!
Signage arrived
Electric vehicle owners will easily find this EV station because 826 Pine shows up on their navigations systems and routes them here.
Seeley Lake’s first electric vehicle charging station
Seeley Lake got its first electric vehicle charging station thanks to a grant that Missoula Electric Cooperative (MEC) received from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) in an effort to expand travel options across Montana for electric vehicle drivers.
One fast-charging station and one Level 2 charger were installed, located at 825 Pine, on the northeast corner of the parking lot of the Foundation Building, in downtown Seeley Lake. Construction began on the project in spring of 2022 and wrapped up in August.
“The funds awarded focus on establishing fast-charging locations for Montana’s key travel corridors with access to popular travel sites such as Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks. While fast-charging stations are important to travel long distances with short charging stops, Level 2 chargers also play important roles. The Level 2 chargers funded by DEQ are located in key downtown or destination locations. Charging times are longer with Level 2 stations, but they encourage electric vehicle drivers to plug in and explore the surrounding area which helps drive business to local stores and restaurants.”
“…MEC decided that working with a centrally located, community non-profit, like the SLCF, the EV charging station would not only be an investment in the Seeley Lake community but it would benefit locals and visitors alike.”
Read the full article in the December 16, 2021 issue of the Seeley Swan Pathfinder: https://www.seeleylake.com/story/2021/12/16/news/new-electric-vehicle-charging-station-coming-to-seeley-lake/8093.html
