Plug-In Hybrids Prohibited from Public Charging Stations in Beverly Hills
If you’re driving your plug-in hybrid vehicle around Beverly Hills, California, you’ll want to recharge your ride elsewhere. The city has just announced that it will prohibit these vehicles from powering up at public charging stations in the area. Only electric-vehicles will be prohibited to “park and plug.”
The policy originated from a desire to improve the availability and responsible use of the public charging stations. A frequent problem with public charging stations is that owners park their vehicle to recharge, then leave the charged vehicle parked there for hours after it’s done charging.
The city is also imposing a charging fee (25 cents per kilowatt-hour) for each electric vehicle that uses the station. You’ll also have to pay a $6 station fee if your vehicle is parked and plugged in more than two hours.
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The Beverly Hills ban comes in the context of an industry-wide debate about which alternative-fuel vehicles should take priority at charging stations. Plug-in hybrids that have an auxiliary reliance on fuel, or electric vehicles that rely solely on battery? Vehicles with small batteries or those with large ones?
That’s bad news for plug-in hybrid owners. Especially those who prefer to charge their vehicle’s battery more frequently, to avoid depending on the gasoline backup system incorporated into the vehicle’s design. After all, shouldn’t a city reward any small step a citizen makes toward using an alternative fuel source, whether that comes in the form of a plug-in hybrid or an electric vehicle?
Only time will tell if the Beverly Hills ban is a temporary solution or a long-term, effective policy that gains traction in other cities nationwide. Until then, if you’re cruising in and around Beverly Hills, you might want to leave your plug-in hybrid at home.
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News Source: Green Car Reports
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