New electric chargers coming to Ritzville

Looking for a fast place to charge your electric vehicle in Ritzville? Soon, you'll be able to do it in the parking lot of Cow Creek Mercantile by I-90.

Earlier this year, Cow Creek Mercantile owner Scott Fitch was contacted by a company called Electrify America, which is based in Virginia.

Electrify America is installing charge stations across the county and is now building four "Fast DC" charging stations and a power building on Cow Creek's parking lot, according to spokesperson Mike Moran. DC stands for direct current.

"We are investing $2 billion over a 10-year period," Moran said in a telephone interview with The Journal. "We're also looking to educate and provide information to the public on zero-emission vehicles, so they see the advantages to them."

Electrify America focuses on major metropolitan areas and on cities near a major highway. Cow Creek Mercantile can be seen from I-90.

"We're a perfect location for them," Fitch said.

Fitch said he is also happy to bring something new to Ritzville. While acknowledging that the primary target consumers for the charges stations are people traveling on I-90, he said he would like to see the chargers encourage more people in Ritzville to buy electric cars.

"For that to happen, access has to improve," Fitch said. "I think the biggest fear out there for electric vehicles is, 'I don't want to run out of juice in the middle of the highway when it's 100 degrees ... So this forward thinking, this is the future. Once people stop being scared of it and plug into this idea, it is going to take off. It will become the norm and will be more accepted."

Fitch sees that as a good thing.

"We'd be ignorant if we didn't address our climate change," Fitch said. "But that [problem] is much, much bigger than this. But this is a good start. If we can take some gas-power cars off the road, than why not?"

The chargers will provide three speeds for charging: 50kW, 150kW and 350kW. Most cars that are compatible with fast DC charging can take somewhere between 50kW and 150kW. Some newer cars, however, are able to charge at 350kW. When you plug your car in, the charger will display the car's top charging speed.

Drivers will pay by the minute. While Moran acknowledges that most EV charging takes place at home, because it's cheaper than paying at a station, he says Electrify America customers want speed and convenience, and that's what the company tries to provide with the fast DC chargers.

"People are looking for convenience, they are looking for reliability and they are looking for speed. "And because charging does take a bit of time, they are looking for amenities that they can utilize while they are waiting for their vehicle to charge."

This is where Cow Creek Mercantile comes in.

"This is why it's important for us to collaborate with the mercantile there," Moran said. "It offers food, beverages, restrooms and other amenities that electric-vehicle drivers would be seeking while waiting for their vehicles to charge."

While an exact opening date is not known yet, Fitch said he was told the goal is to have the chargers up an running in about two weeks.

Pricing information can be found on Electrify America's website, electrifyamerica.com.