History on Sanibel: Island's first public EV station celebrated with ribbon-cutting ceremony

Mark H. Bickel, Fort Myers News-Press
·2 min read
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History was made recently on Sanibel Island and it had nothing to do with Hurricane Ian.

On Jan. 17 there was a ribbon-cutting at the Sanibel-Captiva Chamber Visitor Center on Sanibel Island for the new electric-vehicle (EV) charging station with two-plugins.

This is the first public EV station on the islands. The EV station was in the planning stages before Hurricane Ian slammed Sanibel and other part of Southwest Florida in September 2022.

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What to know: New EV station on Sanibel

  • National organization Chambers for Innovation & Clean Energy and Florida-based Optimus Energy Solutions provided and installed the charging station at no cost.

  • Two parking spots on the right side at the back of the chamber parking lot are now designated for EV charging.

  • Open 24 hours daily.

  • Users can pay at the station by credit card or with the ChargePoint app.

  • Based in Mt. Dora, Fla., Optimus Energy Solutions provided and installed the charger at no cost to the chamber. The company will manage and maintain the charger over the next 10 years.

There was a ground-breaking ceremony on Jan. 17, 2024 at the Sanibel-Captiva Chamber for the island's first EV (electronic vehicle) station.
There was a ground-breaking ceremony on Jan. 17, 2024 at the Sanibel-Captiva Chamber for the island's first EV (electronic vehicle) station.

What they are saying: New EV station on Sanibel

JOHN LAI: Sanibel-Captiva Chamber president and CEO“This is an important step for the future of our destination, offering confidence to drivers of electric vehicles that they will find the infrastructure they need to charge their cars while experiencing our destination,” said John Lai, SanCap Chamber president and CEO. “We are grateful for our partners who have worked for several years to make this possible.”

RYAN EVANS: Executive director of Chambers for Innovation & Clean Engergy“More and more Florida residents are choosing to drive electric vehicles and, as such, expanding the infrastructure for EV drivers is vital,” says Ryan Evans, executive director of Chambers for Innovation & Clean Energy. “Bringing this charger online is particularly significant as John and his chamber team have been tremendous partners for us over the years.”

BEN PAULUHN: President of Optimus Energy Solutions“It was quite an honor to help this community come back in this manner as all of us Floridians felt the pain for Southwest Florida after Ian’s destruction,” said Ben Pauluhn, president of Optimus Energy Solutions. “Hopefully, this brings some relief to the area and showcases why people should come back to Sanibel and Captiva to visit one of our state’s great destinations.”

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Sanibel florida celebrates the opening of its first EV station