By Jon Johnson
SAFFORD—The Tesla Supercharging Network is the largest in the world, yet it is still lacking in eastern Arizona. As additional and legacy car manufacturers begin to offer electric vehicle alternatives, there is a need for DC fast charging in the Gila Valley.
Enter Kempton Chevrolet, which has invested $250,000 to install two InCharge Energy DC fast chargers in a lot across from its Safford dealership at the intersection of U.S. Highway 70 and 8th Avenue, just east of Mechy’s Mexican Restaurant.
The chargers are open to the public and include a 180kw charger and a 60kw charger, each with two connectors that can charge up to four vehicles simultaneously. They currently use a CCS1 connector, which GM and other manufacturers use. That means anyone with a Tesla or NACS port that Teslas use will need an adapter to charge. Rates are currently set at 60 cents per kilowatt.
The InCharge app streamlines the Charging process. First-time users download the EV Connect app, scan a QR code, enter the station ID, and enter payment information such as a credit card. Then, the charger will automatically sync with the EV Connect app.
The city of Safford had to build new infrastructure to accommodate the power of the fast chargers. With the increased electricity, most vehicles can receive a full charge in under 45 minutes. Kempton points out that several amenities, including Downtown Safford, are nearby, and you can experience and utilize them while charging. If you’re hungry, you can eat at Mechy’s Mexican Restaurant, which is adjacent to the chargers.
“While you’re waiting for your car to be charged you can fill up yourself,” Kempton said.
The chargers were a requirement from General Motors if the dealership wanted to sell electric vehicles. Kempton Chevrolet sells three electric vehicle models: the Equinox, the SUV Blazer, and the Silverado pickup truck.
Kempton Chevrolet offers a $399 monthly, two-year, or 20,000-mile lease on its electric Chevy Blazer to incentivize drivers to switch from gas to electric.
“So, they can come in and just try an EV for $399 a month for two years or 20,000 miles, whichever comes first, and give it a shot,” Kempton said.
To sweeten the deal even more, Kempton Chevrolet offers free DC fast charging at its chargers for the length of the lease. That means anyone who leases the vehicle could theoretically travel for free without purchasing any fuel to propel the SUV as long as you charge up at the dealership’s fast chargers as needed.
GM also offers at-home charging solutions, including a basic level-2 charger that will recharge your vehicle overnight and whole-house charging systems that can power your home from your vehicle in an electrical grid outage.
“We’d like people to come and try them,” Kempton said. “We want people to experience it, and the big thing is that everybody has the range anxiety, but it’s really no different than driving a gas vehicle. When you run out of gas, you run out of gas. You’ve got to know how much gas you have in your car, so you’ve got to know how much juice you have. And the nice thing about it is you don’t have to go to a gas station. When you get home, you plug in, and every morning, you have a full charge.”
Kempton drives a Silverado RST electric pickup truck equipped with 700 horsepower and said it has made him a convert. Besides the fun factor and efficiency of one-pedal driving with regenerative braking and instant torque, Kempton said that EVs are a wise decision, just maintenance-wise.
“An internal combustion engine has over 2,000 moving parts that you have to maintain, and an electric car has 20,” Kempton said. “So, think about the maintenance for a minute. With an electric car, you don’t have a water pump, you don’t have spark plugs, you don’t have hoses, you don’t have belts. I mean, you could just start going on and on and on and on. There’s no maintenance. There are no oil changes. There’s nothing. So, there’s really some really neat advantages I think people need to consider.”
“So, throw all the politics out the window and just look at what it does for the customer,” Kempton said. “The maintenance is night and day from gas to electric. There’s basically no maintenance. They’re fun to drive. I mean, it’s fast, quick, zippy. It’s just like a rocket ship.”
Kempton adds that long trips out of town require more planning and budgeting for a longer travel time to accommodate multiple charging sessions. The Equinox has an estimated range of about 319 miles, while the Blazer’s range varies from 283 to 324 miles. However, the road tripper king is the Silverado, which ranges from 390 miles to an estimated class-leading 460 miles. That means you could leave a charging station in Tucson and not have to stop until you hit the beaches of San Diego.
“It’s going to take you a little more time on extended trips, but around town, it’s actually more convenient,” Kempton said.
