Jolt EV charging stations promised as free to all users

Coral Gables commissioners on Tuesday got the chance to hear about the possibly of having Jolt EV charging stations throughout the city.

City officials heard from Jolt EV representatives on how the electric charging stations would offer free energy to every user of the charger, which would be about 7 kilowatt hours of energy per user per day. The free energy would be roughly equivalent to a daily commute of 25 to 30 miles, depending on what kind of car the driver has.

Jolt EV would be able to offer free energy due to the revenue collected by advertisements on screens in each charger station. Jolt EV also would commit to paying for all the installation, maintenance, the electricity that powers those chargers, rent for the spaces, and all costs associated with them.

Other incentives would be giving 5% of advertising to local businesses and an interactive map of Coral Gables.

“If we just contemplate the idea of potentially doing something and offering this resource in downtown, let’s have staff critique a concept and what would be appropriate. What would be inappropriate? Where is it too close to a residential neighborhood? Where is it too bright?” Mayor Vince Lago said. “What is the appropriate brightness? What is the appropriate advertising? And where has it been implemented? I want staff to come back to each commissioner and have a conversation to give a better idea on what we’re looking at.”

It was just a discussion item, added Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson, who introduced the concept. “I wasn’t necessarily sponsoring anything. I just wanted to make sure that we all had an opportunity in a sunshine meeting to ask questions and hear the answers because sometimes the synergy between all of us discussing things together, we get a better result. I’d like to see some more as well, and I’d like for staff to evaluate it, but I do like the idea of a soft rollout so that we can touch and feel it.”

The mayor said he wants to see if there’s value in investing in Jolt EV.

“I want to see what the value is and what the staff’s opinion is. If we offer this in downtown, show me the value. I want to see the value. What are the benefits? If you’re going to give 5% of advertising, what are the restaurants and businesses that are going to get that 5%,” he said. “I’d like to see staff come back to me with a full report detailing all the different options and benefits and also the negatives regarding this product.”