City of Melrose Introduces Innovative Electric Vehicle Charger Program

MELROSE, MA—As a kickoff to Earth Week, the City of Melrose cut the ribbon on two of 16 pole-mounted electric vehicle (EV) chargers set to be installed throughout the City—the first EV chargers of their kind on the East Coast.

At a press event on Thursday, April 22, Earth Day, Mayor Paul Brodeur spoke alongside Cassandra Vickers, senior product manager, and Jake Navarro, Director of Clean Transportation from National Grid, Melrose’s primary partner in the innovative installation efforts.

“This year Melrose is celebrating 10 years as a Green Community. This program is just one small piece of how Melrose is and has been a true leader in sustainability. These installations are an important step in promoting EV adoption in our community, reducing vehicle emissions, and moving us closer to our NetZero 2050 goal,” Mayor Brodeur said, “I appreciate the work of our Sustainability Manager and the collaboration with National Grid in getting this project off the ground. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Earth Day.”

In 2019, National Grid identified Melrose, already home to two ground-mount EV charges, as an ideal location for this demonstration project. These chargers, mounted at 10 feet on utility poles, are the first of their kind outside of Los Angeles.

According to Melrose’s Sustainability Manager, Martha Grover, perceived lack of access to chargers inhibits EV adoption.

“The hope is that as drivers see access to charging is easy around Melrose, they will choose an electric vehicle for their next car purchase.” said Grover. “And there’s a lot of interest in the concept from communities with high numbers of renters and others who don’t have garages and driveways to install a charger.”

Cassandra Vickers, senior product developer for National Grid said that this pilot program aligns with the utility company’s mission to be at the forefront of the clean energy revolution and to make EV charging stations more ubiquitous with the goal of reducing vehicle emissions.

 “The City of Melrose has been an outstanding partner in bringing this important project to fruition,” said Vickers.  “Every step of the way they have worked tirelessly in support of incorporating more efficient and accessible electric vehicle technology into the community.

Grover indicated that by the end of the summer, Melrose will be home to 20 total EV chargers at 12 sites.

Mayor Brodeur also extended his gratitude to Verizon, EVSE LLC, Voltrek, and AmpUp for their partnership in this project.

“This project has been a testament to how sustainability efforts are truly a collaboration, and my hope is that this innovation encourages our community members to do what they can to help solve the climate crisis,” Mayor Brodeur said.

Earth Week activities will continue through the weekend until April 30. For more information about events, click here.