The Augusta Regional Airport just celebrated the future of land and air travel by unveiling its new electric vehicle charging stations. AGS is the first airport in the state of Georgia to have these stations.
The car charging stations have been added just in time for the 2023 Masters Tournament, when thousands of people from around the world will fly into Augusta.
The charging stations were made possible by a partnership between the airport, Georgia Power, BETA Technologies, and the Georgia Department of Transportation.
In the future, one of those stations will have the capability of charging both land vehicles and airplanes. The airport held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for that station yesterday.
“Electric aviation is coming faster than people realize,” said BETA Technologies Network Development, Nathan Ward.
BETA, a Vermont-based aerospace company, is currently developing electric aircraft that can be used for a variety of purposes, including travel and medical missions. As part of its testing, the company flew that type of plane from Vermont to Bentonville, Arkansas.
“We’re building out a network of charging stations throughout the U.S.,” he said. “This is our first in the Southeast.”
Ward said Augusta Regional Airport has been a great partner in turning the company’s vision into reality.
“We look for areas where there’s lots of enthusiasm,” he said.
The new aircraft charger is a Level 3 charger, the fastest technology available at this time. Ward said the cost is comparable to other Level 3 chargers. According to an article on the Future Energy website, the costs for these chargers range from $40,000 to $175,000.
“By 2030, 50 percent of all vehicle sales will be electric vehicles,” said Georgia Power Vice President, Jason Cuevas.
For more information, visit the BETA Technologies website at beta.team/.