Missoula Leads Montana In Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - You’ve probably noticed that there are more electric vehicle charging stations appearing around Missoula.

In fact, Missoula is the first city in Montana to receive an award for electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

I spoke with Devin Fillicicchia, Associate Transportation Planner with the Department of Public Works and Mobility, about the progress of providing electric vehicle infrastructure.

Missoula is Adding More Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

“As one of our strategies in the recently approved electric vehicle infrastructure plan, we saw a designation called ‘Charging Smart’, and essentially, it’s a program that forwards some best practices, policies, procedures, and programs that relate to electric vehicle charging.”

Because Missoula’s program is in its infancy, it has achieved the Bronze level of completion.

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Missoula Now has Achieved the Bronze Level of Completion for Charging Stations

“They award certain designations; bronze, silver, and gold, based on how far along you are as a community,” he said. “We're the first community in the state to achieve one of these designations. So we're currently bronze, but I'm hoping to work towards silver and gold designations as well.”

Fillicicchia said the city is providing a small number of charging stations at this time, but expects that number to increase.

City Officials Plan to Introduce More Public Charging Stations

“We actually have a decent amount of public charging to support that, and I think a big piece of that is because a vast majority of electric vehicle charging happens at people's homes,” he said. “But as part of this electric vehicle infrastructure plan, and part of the work we're doing with this charging smart designation, we're hoping to make it a little bit easier for folks to charge in public.”

Fillicicchia said the number of electric charging stations will increase around Missoula over time.

There are Currently 17 Charging Stations within 5 Miles of Downtown

“Within five miles of downtown Missoula, there are 17 different charger locations,” he said. “A lot of those chargers have more than one port, so 17 locations can actually charge a lot more vehicles than 17 vehicles, but we do have 17 separate locations within five miles of downtown Missoula.”

The city plan includes working toward Silver and Gold designations.