A new charger makes it easy
As a statewide organization, it’s important to us at ICL to meet people in the places where we work. Between field visits, meetings, and moving between our offices in Boise, Ketchum, McCall, and Sandpoint (and even having staff in Seattle!), our staff does a fair amount of traveling. For our organization, owning plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles not only aligns with our climate values, but makes sense practically and financially. Our EVs save us money on fuel and maintenance, and charging at our offices makes our sometimes hectic schedules a bit easier. Our cars are plenty capable, and going electric has been a good move for ICL.
In our experience with EVs, we’ve seen small changes in technology add up to make our ownership easier. Five years ago we installed our first charger at ICL’s Boise office. It worked well, but in its last year it started showing signs of wear and had a few malfunctions. We often let the public use our charging station, so managing limited parking space and charging time became a problem on our old charger. It was time for a replacement.
We just finished installing our new charging station, and the improvement is as clear as a bluebird sky. ICL’s office manager, Erin Pardi, spoke to several companies to find a model that fit our needs. Installation was easy, and the new charger is an upgrade in almost every way. Changing times are faster, the user interface is intuitive, and internal software allows us to control when ICL staff and the public can access the chargers.
Sharing our experience to make yours better
We want to be visible EV users and show that EV use is pragmatic in Idaho. This month, ICL became certified as an Electric Vehicle Adoption Leader by Forth, a non-profit working towards electrification by reducing barriers to electric transportation. EVs and our plug-in hybrid always fit our practical needs, and it’s good to show that electrification at our workplace was simple and cost effective.
EVs are more common in Idaho now than when our first cars went electric. We’re not early adopters anymore, but we think it’s important to share our story and success. In time, EV technology, support, and infrastructure will advance and costs will go down. It made sense for us to purchase EVs five years ago, and growing numbers of Idahoans are making the same choice as ownership gets easier and more affordable. For the climate, and for getting ICL staff around Idaho, it’s good news.
If you’re in the market for a new car, consider an EV or a hybrid. Whether you buy new or used, look at all the money you can save! Plus, feel free to come by our Boise office for a chat and charge. If you’re not in the market for a new car, but support EVs, stay updated with opportunities to support Idaho’s clean energy transition by signing up for ICL Climate Campaign email updates.