Will electric vehicle charging stations be the next big amenity?

For Oregon that might just come to fruition. Electric vehicles “EVs” are certainly getting attention these days and with a federally-funded program aimed at installing public chargers throughout the state we’ll likely see more hotels (and restaurants) get on board as locations for the service. The Heathman Hotel already has an EV station in their garage for guests to plug in during their stay and the Doubletree Hotel is next in line to offer this as a guest amenity. "We see how electric vehicles are going to change the landscape in the tourism industry for the coming years” says Chris Erickson, general manager of The Heathman.

As early adopters in providing sustainability programs, both Portland hotels were revved up when the opportunity to install a charging station became a reality through the EV Project. This national, federally-funded program will set out to install close to 1,100 pedestal-style stations around the state by the end of the year. Funding for the program in Oregon will also help advance the West Coast Green Highway initiative, planting quick-charge stations along the I-5 corridor. Read more about how these charging stations are bringing EVs into Oregon’s tourism industry in “Electrifying Oregon”. [Lodging News, June 2011]