Electrify America & Rocky Mountain Power Open CCS Station With Pull-Through Stall Near Arches National Park

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Last month, I reported on Rocky Mountain Power and Electrify America’s progress on a charging station in Moab, Utah, right around the corner from Arches National Park. Now, the station is open for business!

We don’t typically report on the opening of every new charging station, as that’s happening a LOT these days. But, this station solves a big problem in Moab, Utah, a place that’s increasingly popular with electric truck owners. Why? Because it’s been popular for trucks for decades. Off-road trails are available all over the area, including those where we’ve seen Cybertruck testing.

Moab is also popular with people in 2WD vehicles, as it’s central to popular national parks, like Arches and Canyonlands. It’s also close to a number of great state parks, scenic areas, national forests, and Monument Valley, so it has become an off-road, outdoor, and tourism destination.

Until not very long ago, it was a tough place to visit, though. There was an older Supercharger and one CCS/CHAdeMO stall in the area, and a flood in late 2022 took out the lone CCS/CHAdeMO station. Eventually, Tesla opened a second Supercharger station to CCS vehicles with Magic Dock, which helped greatly, but that still left a popular city with only 8 plugs for CCS vehicles and 12 for Teslas. And, there are no pull-through spaces for anyone with a trailer!

Fortunately, as I reported last month, Rocky Mountain Power’s collaboration with Electrify Commercial (Electrify America’s office that installs stations owned by other companies) is now paying off. The new station, at the corner of state highway 128 and US-191, has a total of 8 stalls, including one that was specifically designed to accommodate trailers!

In addition to the one stall that was designed with trailers in mind, it’s important to keep in mind that the long, long cables on Electrify America’s latest generation of stations makes it easier to reach spaces behind the chargers. For example, I pulled up behind a station in Memphis, Tennessee, and was able to reach my trailer-laden EV without unhitching.

So, given the station’s design, it’s likely possible to press at least three other spaces into service as pull-through stalls if you’re creative about your parking. This will make it a lot easier for people pulling trailers of all kinds to get a charge!

A couple of days ago, the station went live, and a press release went out announcing the station’s opening. An event was held to celebrate the opening, and people from a number of companies and governmental agencies showed up to check the new station out.

“By expanding the network of fast chargers, we are helping boost the adoption of zero-emissions electric vehicles for improved air quality in Utah. Our statewide network will make fast charging accessible to all vehicles while increasing EV adoption across the state,” said James Campbell, sustainability and innovation policy director at Rocky Mountain Power. “This effort not only enhances EV accessibility for the local community but also for the approximately 2 million annual visitors to Arches National Park. We aim to expand the accessibility and viability of electric vehicles across Utah and beyond. Integrating EV charging stations into national parks signifies a dedicated effort to preserve natural wonders while paving the way for a cleaner, more sustainable future.”

The station is also important to the federal government. “Today’s announcement is a testament to the progress of the NEVI program. With the opening of the first-ever federally funded EV charging station near a national park, we are filling gaps in our network, ensuring people can reliably charge where they live, work and play,” said Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt. “Thanks to funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, local residents and the millions of annual visitors to Arches National Park can now conveniently access EV charging.”

This also marks the seventh state to open a NEVI-funded charging station under the law, so naturally the state’s government is also happy to be ahead of many other states in getting building done.

“This milestone marks years of collaboration between the public and private sectors and serves as a shining example of all we can accomplish working together with outstanding partners like Rocky Mountain Power,” said Lyle McMillan, director of strategic technologies at the Utah Department of Transportation. “Utah is among the first states to open a NEVI EV charging site, giving drivers the freedom to travel anywhere – in any vehicle – they choose.”

Part Of A Larger Story For RMP & Utah

The collaboration between Electrify America, Rocky Mountain Power, and NEVI funding from the federal government is going to lead to charging all over the state. In total, there are going to be 20 stations installed, with at least 80 stalls in total. 15 of the stations are going to be along the Wasatch Front, where much of the state’s population lives, while five other stations (including the one in Moab) will be installed in small towns in rural areas to expand travel options.

The Even Bigger Story: Proving EVs Have What It Takes

Another thing that makes this story newsworthy for EV drivers is that it sits at the intersection of several things challenging EVs.

First, it’s a more rural destination away from the interstate highways. These areas have often been among the last to get EV charging, and Moab in particular has been a hassle for non-Tesla EV drivers, first with only one station and then with nothing. By showing people this comeback story, where there are now 16 stalls for non-Tesla vehicles and a whopping 20 stalls in the small town for Tesla drivers, we’re seeing EVs approach prime time for many people.

The other big challenge has been showing that EVs aren’t wimpy compared to ICE trucks. EVs can tow. EVs can off-road. EVs can get you there, and now often better than an ICE vehicle can. The remaining problem for EV towing and off-roading is the availability of electricity, and this takes that problem off the board.

Finally, the national and state parks in the area that people want to visit in an EV (be it a truck or a more pavement-oriented car/crossover). While most people don’t drive out to Moab every year, it’s the kind of place many people want to know they can go when they’re buying a car. Because nobody wants to buy 99% of a car, opening up places like this to EVs and making charging widely available is essential to EV adoption.

Featured image provided by Rocky Mountain Power.