The Birmingham Parking Authority unveiled its new electric vehicle charging station Wednesday at the Avondale Village parking lot, 109 41st Street South.

“It’s incredibly exciting for the Birmingham Parking Authority to be able to make public charging available in such a high-traffic area,” said Andre Davis, executive director and CEO of the BPA.

“This is a wonderful addition to our facilities, and a wonderful service not only for our parking patrons but for anyone in Birmingham who has a need to charge their EV or plug-in,” Davis said. “We recognize that more and more people are driving electric vehicles due to their environmental and fuel-saving benefits, and these drivers need convenient places to charge. What better place to charge your vehicle than a parking facility?”

Construction of the EV charging station was funded in part through a grant from the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition made possible by Alabama Partners for Clean Air.

The Level 2 EV charging station is the first EV charging station for the BPA in any of its parking facilities, and the first charging station ACFC has helped fund in Birmingham.

The Avondale Village parking lot is adjacent to Avondale’s entertainment district with its restaurants, brewpubs, nightclubs, coffee houses and other businesses. It is blocks away from Avondale Park and its ballfields and amphitheater, and near the Avondale branch of the Birmingham Public Library.

The station can charge four vehicles at a time. Users can pay for charging with a credit or debit card.

Drive Electric Alabama, a statewide education platform dedicated to improving the state through the adoption of electric vehicles, assisted with planning and promotion.

“Helping grow Alabama’s EV charging infrastructure is a critical part of what we do,” said Mark Bentley, executive director of the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition. “EVs are gaining in popularity here as they are in other parts of the country. More people are becoming comfortable buying electric vehicles and enjoying the many benefits they provide as more charging stations are built. We are delighted to partner with the Birmingham Parking Authority to bring EV chargers to such a popular and convenient location.”

The Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham and Alabama Power also assisted with the project.

“We want to make Birmingham as accommodating as possible for residents, and for visitors and the EV public at large,” said Birmingham City Council member Darrell O’Quinn said. “Think about it: You can go to a concert at Avondale Brewing just down the street or enjoy a meal at one of our great restaurants – while charging your EV.”