FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 9, 2025
Ellsworth, ME — The City of Ellsworth is pleased to announce the upcoming installation of four Level 2 electric vehicle (EV) chargers at City Hall, increasing access to sustainable transportation in the downtown area for both residents and visitors.
Approved by the City Council in November 2024, Ellsworth’s EV infrastructure project is funded through a combination of a state grant and city resources. The State of Maine awarded Ellsworth a Charging and Fueling Infrastructure grant, originating from the Federal Highway Administration, which remains fully obligated to this project.
The total project cost is $129,804, covering both charging hardware and necessary infrastructure. Funding is strategically structured to maximize federal and state incentives and minimize the City’s out-of-pocket expenses. Efficiency Maine is contributing $80,000, and the federal 30C tax credit, covers an $38,941 (30% of the total cost). After applying both contributions, the City’s net cost is reduced to $10,863.
Installation is scheduled for early June and will create eight designated parking spaces, including:
- Two ADA-accessible EV charging spots
- Two EV-only charging spots
- Two open for general parking or EV charging
To facilitate the installation, the State Street entrance to the lower City Hall parking lot will be temporarily closed June 16 to allow for underground electrical work. Detour signage will be posted to direct traffic during this brief closure. The chargers will become operational once utility service is connected. Charging will be set at 36 cents per kilowatt hour.
Once these new stations are online, the existing Franklin Street EV chargers, currently free to use with suggested donations, will be removed. While the donation model generated some contributions, it has not proven sufficient to cover electricity costs which were running around $7,000 per year. Moving forward the City intends to operate on an exclusively pay for model for publicly available EV charging infrastructure in order to defray and over time generate revenue for the city.
This project supports Ellsworth’s continued commitment to environmental stewardship, accessibility, and downtown revitalization by expanding EV infrastructure and encouraging tourism.
Map of the closure and access points:
