Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) and Indian Nations Council of Governments (INCOG) are strategically deploying the first of its kind ultrafast electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in Tulsa for public use in partnership with Gathering Place, the Oklahoma Aquarium, and the Tulsa International Airport. The next-generation FreeWire Boost Charger™ is a state of the art battery integrated charger that can be quickly deployed in dense, high traffic locations, providing the public charging for free in their support of this new technology. The project demonstrates the community’s commitment to transforming Tulsa into an innovation hub and PSO’s commitment to supporting electrification.
The installation of the EV Boost Charger at popular Tulsa attractions will coincide with National Drive Electric Week 2020. The 10th annual celebration, which takes place Sept. 26 through Oct. 4, is an annual nationwide effort to raise awareness of the many benefits of electric and hybrid vehicles.
Gathering Place, hosting one of the Boost Charger stations, is an award-winning park, offering a range of experiences for the community and visitors, which now includes premium EV charging capable of delivering 100 miles of range in 10 minutes. As visitors are welcomed to the park, this visible charger will showcase the future of electric vehicle chargers equipped with energy storage.
“Sustainability is at the very heart of our Park’s design and its mission. We are thrilled to be able to offer the world-class FreeWire EV charging station for our park guests,” said Tony Moore, Executive Director of Gathering Place.
Oklahoma is the fastest-growing EV market in the country, with year-over-year sales reaching 288% totaling 4,674 sold by the end of 2018 according to data from the Alliance of Auto Manufacturers. The installed Boost Chargers are unique DC Fast Chargers (DCFC) with integrated energy storage that can be quickly deployed and scaled to meet the increasing demand.
For the last five years, INCOG has worked with partners across Oklahoma as well as state and federal agencies to coordinate efforts to prepare the state for increased use of electric vehicles as they become more prevalent.
“These new chargers complement a robust network of fast EV chargers installed earlier this year, every 50 miles along Oklahoma’s interstates and most highways,” said Adriane Jaynes, Energy Program Manager of INCOG. “Oklahoma’s charging network is one of the best in the nation and allows EV drivers to travel almost anywhere in the state with confidence.”
The ultrafast chargers reduce the time to charge from several hours to several minutes. EVs are similarly evolving with larger batteries and faster charging capabilities. In the next 12 months, highly anticipated EV pickup trucks are scheduled to hit the market and Oklahoma is positioning itself to be ready to support their adoption. Boost Chargers can charge all EV models (including Tesla with an adapter) with both CCS and CHAdeMO connectors.
“We are excited to support PSO and INCOG’s offering of advanced EV charging solutions,” said Ethan Sprague, VP of Sales and Marketing at FreeWire. “Boost Charger provides an interactive charging experience alerting drivers to nearby amenities and lowering barriers to charging deployment by using batteries to provide high-power. Boost Charger is one of kind and Tulsa is among the first to receive them.”
PSO decided to use Boost Charger, given the benefits of the integrated energy storage. Traditional fast chargers require high input and power demand when charging EVs. Boost Charger buffers the energy demand by using energy stored in batteries to provide the fast charging, while recharging the batteries over time. This allows for low-voltage, single-phase power input with minimal electrical infrastructure upgrades and reduced ongoing energy demand for site hosts.
“PSO has a culture of collaboration and innovation and we are proud to be part of this effort,” said Peggy Simmons, PSO President and Chief Operating Officer. “These public chargers are an important part of the infrastructure needed to support and promote the evolution in technology, serving our customers and community.”
Tulsa has been reinventing itself for years and embracing a more sustainable way of life. Bringing electric charging stations to the city is just one more step in turning Tulsa into the Heartland’s greenest city.
Find the Boost Chargers online at plugshare.com.
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About FreeWire Technologies
FreeWire Technologies merges beautiful design with convenient services to electrify industries formerly dependent on fossil fuels. FreeWire’s turnkey power solutions deliver energy whenever and wherever it’s needed for reliable electrification beyond the grid. With scalable clean power that moves to meet demand, FreeWire customers can tackle new applications and deploy new business models without the complexity of upgrading traditional energy infrastructure. Visit freewiretech.com for more information.
About PSO
PSO, a unit of American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP), is an electric utility company serving more than 557,000 customer accounts in eastern and southwestern Oklahoma. Based in Tulsa, PSO owns approximately 3,800 megawatts of generating capacity fueled primarily by natural gas. It also maintains and operates 22,000 miles of distribution lines and 3,700 miles of transmission lines. PSO is one of the largest distributors of wind energy in the state. News releases and other information is at www.PSOklahoma.com. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @PSOklahoma.
About INCOG
Indian Nations Council of Governments (INCOG) is a voluntary association of local governments serving Creek, Osage, Rogers, Tulsa and Wagoner counties, more than 50 cities and towns located in those counties, and the Cherokee, Muscogee (Creek) and Osage Nations. INCOG provides planning and coordination services to assist in creating solutions to local and regional challenges in such areas as land use, transportation, community and economic development, environmental quality, public safety, and services for older adults.
About Gathering Place
A project of George Kaiser Family Foundation, Gathering Place, with a first phase of 66.5 acres, will ultimately transform nearly 100 acres of Tulsa’s waterfront along the Arkansas River into a dynamic and active space when the project is completed. A public-private partnership, GKFF and numerous corporate and community philanthropists gave ownership of the $465 million park to River Parks Authority who in turn signed a long-term operational and management lease back to an entity of the foundation to ensure the highest quality operation, maintenance and programming for the life of the park. Gathering Place is doing business as Tulsa’s Gathering Place, LLC. To learn more about the project, visit www.gatheringplace.org.