MALONE -- Nearby Franklin County now has its first fast charger for electric vehicles (EV). The 100 kilowatt Direct Current Fast Charger (DCFC) at the Franklin County Courthouse in Malone is the fourth location completed as part of a statewide EVolve NY charging network being installed along key travel corridors and in urban areas to encourage travelers to drive EVs.

The Village of Canton has two electric vehicle charging stations installed on the east side of Hodskin Street. Other EV chargers can be found in Canton at St. Lawrence University and the Best Western, and at Clarkson in Potsdam.

Owners of electric and hybrid vehicles can also charge their vehicles for free while visiting Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort. Funds from a 2015 Volkswagen lawsuit brought and installed the two charging stations located on the property, located in the AMCR RV Parking Lot.

“Driving electric creates a healthier environment while helping the state achieve its clean energy goals,” said NYPA President and CEO Gil C. Quiniones. “The installation of the Malone high-speed charging station, as part of NYPA’s EVolve NY charging infrastructure program, makes it easier and more convenient for residents in the North Country to own EVs and also encourages travelers to come and visit the local area.”

Malone’s two-port charger, installed in the parking lot at the Franklin County Courthouse, is the first fast charger over 50kW that provides non-proprietary charging in the North Country, meaning it can power any fully electric vehicle, regardless of make or model. The only other fast chargers in the region are Supercharger sites that can only be used by Teslas. Preparations were made so a second fast charger can be easily added at the site in the future.

“The station will have increasing importance and potential as we will see significant investment and transformational projects coming to downtown Malone in the adjacent blocks and across Route 11 over the next few years,” said Russ Kinyon, director of Economic Development, Franklin County Local Development Corporation. “This station will be well placed for visitors to the courthouse and those new developments, as well as our Canadian and regional travelers and those who pass through and make stops in Malone. I’ve heard people say, “we never see electric vehicles here, so why do we need one?” Well, if you don’t have the infrastructure, you can’t support that traffic. So, I believe we’ll start to get on the map for those drivers, as well.”