Passaic City receives national honor for installing electric vehicle chargers

The City of Passaic installed its first EV charging station at City Hall in 2019, and the city has received national recognition for its early adoption of EV charging stations.

Passaic now has three charging stations, it installed another station at the WIC Health Center on St. Francis Road in 2021 and recently opened a third station at Passaic’s brand new parking garage on Benson Court.

Because the chargers are available to the public and city employees, Passaic received the Gold Medal for Electric Vehicle Adoption Leadership certification. EVAL is awarded by Forth Mobility, a U.S. Department of Energy-funded program dedicated to promoting electric vehicle charging in workplaces across the country.

The charging station in Passaic has designated parking spaces.

Passaic Mayor Hector Lora, who uses the vehicle to drive his Ford hybrid during work hours, said the city is pleased to be recognized.

He also said Passaic is not finished yet.

“Our goal is to gradually replace gasoline-powered vehicles with electric vehicles to fulfill New Jersey’s legislative commitment to stop purchasing new gasoline vehicles in the near future,” he said. “This transition will not only reduce the city’s carbon footprint, but also save long-term costs in fuel and maintenance.”

Passaic plans to implement EVAL, a standard similar to the LEED building rating that recognizes municipalities, businesses and other organizations that take steps to support sustainable commuting. EZ Ride, one of New Jersey’s nonprofit transportation management associations, is promoting the program in New Jersey as part of its Electric Vehicle Accelerator Program.

“The ultimate goal of our EV Accelerator Program is to increase the number of charging stations at workplaces across New Jersey by making the process as easy as possible,” said Krishna Murthy, CEO of EZ Ride.

Organizations do not have to install electric vehicle chargers to qualify for EVAL; they simply need to express interest in acquiring a charging system. Obtaining EVAL certification is advantageous because it increases an organization’s chances of receiving funding to install chargers. There are millions of dollars in grants, utility rebates, and tax credits available across the state that can cover up to 90% of the cost.

The EVAL application process takes less than 30 minutes and is currently free until the end of October. From November 1, a fee will be charged, the exact fee is yet to be determined.