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BEAUFORT COUNTY, S.C. – In a recent decision, the Beaufort County Council has authorized the free public use of a newly installed electric vehicle (EV) charging station.
The county shared the news on Facebook over the weekend, prompting a wave of over 300 comments from residents, many of whom expressed dissatisfaction with the initiative. The primary concern centered on the perceived injustice of offering free EV charging while gasoline prices remain high.
One resident queried, “Where can I find county-supplied gasoline, please?” Meanwhile, other comments suggested that taxpayers were funding the complimentary EV charging station.
However, Hannah Nichols, serving as Beaufort County’s public information officer, clarified that the no-cost charging does not impact local taxpayers financially.
“The station operates independently of the grid, incurring no electrical expenses,” she explained. “It’s a solar-powered, standalone unit with no associated construction costs, making it entirely portable.”
The EV station was purchased for approximately $100,000 in 2023 through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. Those were federal dollars given to counties specifically for the purpose of health initiatives, infrastructure initiatives and emergency response initiatives, according to the county.
One of the main reasons the charging station was purchased with federal funds was to facilitate the use of an emergency operation center, as well as for fueling electric vehicles in a fleet in an actual emergency, Nichols told . The sheriff’s office and the county both have electric vehicles for emergency response.
The portable station is wind resistant for up to 160 miles per hour winds and flood resistant up to nine and a half feet.
“If we ever have a hurricane that does shut down all of those gas stations, we still have some mobile vehicles that can charge through solar power,” said Nichols.
The county plans to use it for emergency purposes, but figured it could get more use outside of those efforts.
“There are two chargers on it, Nichols said. “It’s not going to be as quick as someone’s home charger, but it is a good amenity to have for our tourists, and anyone who comes to the courthouse and is stuck in for a long day.”
The county believes the station is a positive for electric vehicle owners. It is the first public electric charging station north of the Broad River, which Nichols said they’re proud of.
“We were actually using it in the parking lot as a test to see if additional infrastructure investments into electric vehicles are necessary moving forward,” she said.
The two-port charging station is located at 100 Ribaut Road in the Beaufort County Municipal Complex’s parking lot. It’s easily found by the large solar panel.