Yichang boosts EV charging facilities
2023-11-19 17:11:39
By Yan Wanqin, Yichang International Communication Studio
More than 300 charging piles have been built in Yichang to recharge electric vehicles which are increasingly popular not just in cities but also in rural areas.
Many drivers visit the Sujiahe service area in Wufeng Tujia Autonomous County, Yichang City, to charge their EVs.
More than 300 charging piles have been built in Yichang to recharge electric vehicles which are increasingly popular not just in cities but also in rural areas.
Many drivers visit the Sujiahe service area in Wufeng Tujia Autonomous County, Yichang City, to charge their EVs.
New energy vehicles power up at a charging station at the Sujiahe service area.
The service area is located in the middle section of National Highway 351, near tourist attractions such as Chaibuxi National Forest Park, Houhe National Nature Reserve and Wufeng International Ski Resort. The two new charging stations are convenient for both tourists and local residents.
"I’m on my way from Wufeng Town to Yuyangguan Town. I heard there was a charging station, so I came here. It only takes about half an hour to charge up," said car owner Chen Xiaoying.
An aerial of National Highway 351.
Four fast charging piles and two slow charging piles opened at the Tumen Road parking area charging station in the Yichang urban area in September this year. The parking area is located on National Highway 348, adjacent to the Yichang Vocational Education Park, and is the largest charging area on National Highway 348.
A driver scans a code to charge his new energy vehicle at the Tumen Road parking area on National Highway 348.
"I work nearby, it's easy to charge here,” said Mr. Du. “I used to fork out more than 1,000 yuan (US$139) a month for fuel. Now, with my new energy vehicle, it only costs me about 200 yuan”. Many colleagues are switching to new energy vehicles, he added.
Several charging piles are also in operation at the K11 parking area on Provincial Road 254, which is separated from the Yichang urban area by a river. The two fast charging piles and four slow charging piles at this parking area came online in January this year.
"There are lots of family restaurants here and lot of tourists, so it’s great to have a charging spot," said restaurant owner Shi Haifeng.
Charging area at the K11 parking area on Provincial Road 254.
"Yichang was the first city in the province to start building charging facilities on national and provincial level trunk roads," said Cheng Tao, head of the maintenance department at the Yichang Highway Construction and Maintenance Centre.
As early as 2020, Yichang's transport department invested 1 million yuan to build eight charging piles in the Sujiahe service area of Wufeng Tujia Autonomous County and the Niehe service area of Yidu City.
Yichang now has 68 charging facilities on ordinary highways, with a total of 302 parking spaces with charging piles. These charging piles have served 6,240 new energy vehicles, providing 100,000 kWh of electricity.
Yichang has unveiled a plan to expand charging infrastructure on its road network to meet growing demand from surging numbers of new energy vehicles.
By the end of 2024, charging facilities will fully cover major transport hubs. By 2025, the maximum distance between charging stations on national and provincial roads will be no more than 50 kilometers and there will be a big increase in fast charging facilities.
