Palm Springs International Airport has finished an 80-charger installation in Parking Lot B.
As The Palm Springs Post reported, project staff said it will make it the third-largest airport EV charging array in Southern California and a much larger charging destination for electric vehicle drivers in the Coachella Valley.
Here's what to know
Public access to the chargers will begin after final testing and commissioning are finished, the paper noted.
Using the stations will still come with the standard $26-per-day parking rate, and drivers will pay through the ChargePoint app, which includes a separate $1 session fee.
Staff told The Post a typical charge should cost about $10 to $20, with the total reaching roughly $30 during the 5 to 9 p.m. peak period.
A final number of spaces reserved for charging has not yet been set. Staff said they plan to watch usage each day and change the number of EV-designated spots as needed, per the paper.
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More background
Those spaces will be signed for EV charging only, and staff added that California law allows citations for violation. As far as that goes, The Post noted airports elsewhere in Southern California generally do not issue them.
Considering California's status as one of the nation's biggest EV hubs, the news is a welcome sign for drivers. The state has made other moves to boost the transition to clean transportation.
The state added point-of-sale incentives for both new and used EVs following the end of federal subsidies. Since charging infrastructure is a common concern for many drivers, convenient chargers at a major airport help ease some of those concerns.
What's being done?
The Post reported airport staff does not plan to lock in a permanent number of EV-only spaces, instead choosing to study day-to-day demand and adjust the setup based on how the stations are used.
Carefully tracking that can ensure that there isn't inevitable conflict between drivers who need a spot to park and EV drivers who find chargers blocked.
It's a tricky balance, as devoting too many spots to EV charging can naturally frustrate drivers if they sit idle. On the other hand, the benefits of the chargers are wiped out if not enough are available, or if they are taken up by gas-powered cars.
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