The city of Tuscaloosa will install two charging stations for electric vehicle drivers at the Springhill Suites on Greensboro Avenue. The funding for the installations comes from a $2 million worth of grants from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.
Specifically, a $349,321 grant was awarded to Texas-based Universal EV LCC to do the Tuscaloosa installations. There were six grants awarded in total.
Nicklaus Williams, a sophomore majoring in management information systems, said that having the stations closer to his apartment will help save him time and money.
“Currently, I’ve been charging in my parking lot with one of the slow chargers that you buy on the Tesla website, and that takes several days,” he said. “The other options are the parking decks. I don’t have a parking pass, so I’m not going to pay to park and then to charge.”
Williams drives a 2021 Tesla Model Y. He said he picked an electric car over one with an internal combustion engine as a cost-efficient method when he delivers for DoorDash and Uber Eats.
“My only real option is to go to Cottonwood, and it’s, like, a 15-minute drive,” he said, adding that he was excited for a better option close by.
Charging stations will also be installed in Huntsville, Hoover and Mobile, with a total of six being newly installed.
