The Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM), headquartered in Virginia Beach, Va., opened a plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) charging station for use by its associates, vendors, government vehicles and guests.

"We are excited to open the first workplace PEV charging station within the Department of the Navy and in Virginia Beach," said Rear Adm. Robert J. Bianchi (Ret), NEXCOM's Chief Executive Officer. "The opening of this charging station is an important consideration for our associates who may be in the market for a PEV. It will help NEXCOM recruit and retain employees by helping them with their transportation needs, and it helps build the NEXCOM brand as a socially and environmentally responsible organization. Also, in the future, we may include a PEV in the NEXCOM vehicle fleet, which will reduce our reliance on petroleum and save money on fuel."

With the opening of the PEV charging station, NEXCOM is fulfilling Executive Order 13693 section 7(f) which instructs the federal government to consider the development of policies to promote sustainable commuting and work related travel practices including workplace vehicle charging for Federal employees. Under that order, the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) was formulated granting federal agencies to install PEV charging stations for employees and other users.

The cost to charge an electric vehicle is $.99 per hour, which covers the cost of the utility and other associated costs, i.e., network subscription fees and the charger itself. Payment is made through the ChargePoint network which features a mobile app to locate charging stations and sends user notifications about the vehicle's charging status. The PEV charger can fully charge a car's battery in four hours.



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