EV CHARGING HUB COMING TO DOWNTOWN

Robinson Recharge Mobility Hub will be the largest EV fast-charging facility in Florida.

National Drive Electric Week (Sept. 26-Oct. 4) offered a fitting backdrop for OUC to unveil the name and visual concept of an electric vehicle (EV) charging hub that will open next year in downtown Orlando.

Robinson Recharge Mobility Hub, so named because it’s located on Robinson Street near I-4, will feature up to 22 Level 3 EV charging stations with the capability to serve all types of EVs. Once built, it will be largest high-speed charging facility in Florida. An OUC-led partnership that includes the City of Orlando, Orange County and Power Electronics, the maker of EV charging equipment, received a $500,000 grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to build the facility.

The downtown site complements OUC’s support for a recently enacted law that calls for creating a statewide EV charging infrastructure. Meanwhile, OUC is driving an effort to increase Central Florida’s EV use to 40,000 vehicles by 2025, resulting in carbon emissions reductions of about 200,000 tons per year.

EV drivers will be attracted to the site’s close proximity to the downtown business district, where they can shop, run errands or grab a bite to eat while waiting a mere 10 minutes to “top off” their charge or 20-60 minutes for a full charge.

The Robinson Street charging hub is expected to cost $1,038,221 before the DEP grant is applied. OUC and Power Electronics are making up the difference, contributing $438,221 and $100,000, respectively, to the project.