RALEIGH, NC - The City of Raleigh was awarded a $125,000 grant to install 25-30 public charging stations for plug-in electric vehicles, accepted by City council in mid-November. The grant was awarded by the North Carolina Department of Commerce's Energy Division as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The grant requires City matching funds totaling $125,000, according to a release from the City.

The City plans to install of 30 public electric vehicle charging stations by September 2011. Grants are funding most of the cost of the charging stations.

In addition, Eaton Corporation announced Dec. 1 that it has donated to the City three high-speed electric vehicle charging stations that can recharge a vehicle in just four to six hours. The chargers are the first of 30 public electric vehicles (EV) charging stations the City of Raleigh plans to install by September 2011 as part of its rollout of plug-in electric vehicles, according to a release from Eaton.

The City celebrated the opening of its first EV charging stations on Nov. 23.

Raleigh is preparing for the rollout of plug-in electric vehicles in the coming years. The national rollout of plug-in electric vehicles begins in December; the vehicles are expected to arrive in Raleigh in April.