Electric Car-Charging Stations in Convention Center Garage First for Region

The Convention Center Garage at 11th and Arch streets is now the first public garage in the Philadelphia region to offer electric car charging station.

The 706-car parking garage, which also services guests of the Hilton Garden Inn Hotel, the Reading Terminal Market and the Gallery, has eight two-plug “quick-charging” stations that can conveniently charge up to 16 cars at once while they are not in use.

“We are still in the infancy stages of this industry,” said Josephine Wang, executive vice president of Switzenbaum & Associates, an affiliate of Parametric Associates, who installed the charging stations. “We feel that as more drivers become aware of need to reduce America’s dependency on foreign oil – they will want to purchase electric cars which will need charging stations in central location that are easily accessible.”

“This is a great example of how businesses are helping to keep Philadelphia on the cutting edge of green technologies,” said Mayor Michael Nutter in a press release. “The City of Philadelphia is proud of its innovative private sector that is willing to support early adopters of alternative fuel vehicles.”

Wang said the company expects to install additional charging stations as the market demands increase.