Fostoria's electric vehicle future

Last week, the Seneca Regional Planning Commission (SRPC) announced plans to install an electric vehicle charging station in Fostoria with money from the American Electric Power Ohio EV Charging Incentive Program. The $100,000 grant will cover equipment, installation, warranties, network requirements and signage. What are the goals for the project? It's no secret that Fostoria isn't a rich town. With a median household income of less than $35,000 and a poverty rate of almost one-third, there isn't a great deal of disposable income to go around in much of the city. Four out of the top five most common electric cars in 2020 were Tesla models, and the demographics of an average Fostorian don't match those of an average Tesla owner. Those four models range in price from $38,000 to more than $80,000, and the median household income of a Tesla owner is nearly $150,000, according to Hedges and Company. The press release from SRPC's executive director Charlene Watkins explained that the charging station was intended for visitors, not necessarily native Fostorians. "Having a fast-charging station will put Fostoria on the map," Watkins said. "This will allow visitors to our community a place to charge their vehicle and explore the revitalized downtown area of Fostoria while it's charging." The project is due to begin at the end of next month with a likely conclusion in July. One level three DC Fast Charging Unit will be installed in the Dell's parking lot downtown. The Fast Charging Unit can charge 80% of a car's battery in half an hour. If the goal was for visitors to take time to explore retail and restaurants downtown, they will have 30 minutes to do it. The SRPC applied for the grant on behalf of the City of Fostoria. They did the same last year for Tiffin, which installed two charging stations instead of one. Before that, the closest station was in Bowling Green, half an hour west from Fostoria. Most major cities have EV charging stations, and smaller towns have been last to catch on to the trend. "We want to offer [EV drivers] services in Fostoria that you find in larger cities," said Mayor Eric Keckler. "It's a project that is certainly needed as we see more and more electric vehicles on the road." However, only 1.8% of the US auto market is accounted for by electric cars. Tesla owns 79% of that market. In 2018, only 5% of new cars sold were battery-based. According to Smart Energy International, the biggest barriers to adoption of electric vehicles are the lack of charging stations and high upfront costs. With the cheapest electric car on the market, the Nissan Leaf, costing about as much as Fostoria's median annual income, the vision is still far out of reach for some rural communities. Tiffin's poverty rate is about half the size of Fostoria's, and the median property value in Tiffin is $94,200. So how will Fostoria's charging station work out? "The City of Fostoria sees this not only as a service to the citizens of Fostoria, but an opportunity for positive economic impact," Watkins said.