Cobb County, Ga., is installing a network of electric vehicle charging stations around the county to accommodate the large electric vehicle population in the state, said Al Curtis, Cobb County’s fleet management director. These stations, located at three county buildings, will be used to charge the county’s 16 Nissan Leafs and will also be open to for county employees and the public.

Four public access charging stations, including a fast charger, are open to the public. Eighteen county-access-only Level 2 chargers are available.

The county held an official ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of these stations on April 18. County officials also unveiled a new Signet DC Fast Charger, which is compatible with most 2014 and newer electric car models and can charge a car battery from empty to full in about 30 minutes, Curtis said. Nissan donated the $30,000 charger to the county. 

Nissan plans to donate additional charging stations to the state, according to Nathan Raith, project manager for Charge Up, the company that installed the charger. “(Nissan’s) belief is that if the infrastructure is there, then car sales are going to go up. That’s why they’re donating all these (charging) units,” Raith said.

Atlanta is the No. 1 top selling market in the country for Nissan Leafs and ranks second in the country for electric vehicle sales as a whole, said Cornelius Willingham, Nissan development manager for the southeast.