City Announces Contract for New Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

The Keller administration is partnering with Paradise Power Company Inc. to break ground on 18 new electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, nearly doubling the number of places in Albuquerque to charge electric vehicles. The incoming charging stations are supported by grant funding from the State-managed Volkswagon Settlement Fund. When work is complete this summer there will be 34 EV charging stations.

Creating the infrastructure for more access to electric vehicle charging is part of a larger initiative by the City to significantly cut air pollution and transportation contributions to climate change. These stations will make it easier to drive EVs and plug-in hybrids for owners both living in and traveling through Albuquerque – filling in service gaps along U.S. Interstate 40, Paseo del Norte, and U.S. Interstate 25.

The new stations will be located at nine City facilities including the Central and Unser Library, Albuquerque Balloon Museum, North Domingo Baca and Manzano Mesa Multigenerational Centers, Los Altos Golf Course and Explora. Stations will also appear in on-street parking spots in Nob Hill. Facilities were chosen to meet a number of criteria including equity of access throughout the city and proximity to major roadways, shopping and other attractions. The City will continue to assess opportunities to increase the City’s EV charging network in the coming years.

Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said, “We’re making big changes for a cleaner, healthier Albuquerque, and adding new EV charging stations tears down a big barrier to help our residents go electric.” This installation builds on the Keller administration’s substantial work to date on sustainability, including:

• Won a $2.7 million federal grant to bring the first electric buses to Albuquerque,
• Signed the Paris Agreement committing to climate action,
• Installed 38 solar projects at city-owned buildings,
• Launched the Green Team to expand sustainability across departments,
• Launched the Mayor’s Energy Challenge to support local businesses reduce energy use,
• Won Bloomberg American Cities Climate Challenge with funding for sustainability efforts,
• Made the transition to more sustainable LED street lights citywide,
• Provided over 200 homes with free energy audits and upgrades in partnership with PNM, Partnership for Community Action and Prosperity Works,
• Partnered with PNM to launch the Solar Direct project to get to achieve over 80% renewable energy use by Fall 2021,
• Purchased the first electric vehicles for the City fleet, and enacted a “Zero Emissions First” fleet vehicle adoption policy,
• Achieved LEED for Cities Silver certification, and
• Ranked 40th on the 2020 City Clean Energy Scorecard—and 5th most improved—by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE).