HOUSTON – NRG Energy’s eVgo electric vehicle (EV) charging network on Sept. 8 welcomed a new station, equipped with Level 2 and DC chargers, at Buffalo Speedway and Bissonnet in Houston. 

NRG Energy, headquartered in New Jersey, has launched its eVgo network to service electric vehicle drivers. The eVgo network consists of Freedom Station sites, which operate 24 hours a day and are equipped with Level 2 and DC chargers, and Convenience Stations, which have Level 2 chargers but are typically hosted by a retailer whose hours will vary.

Subscribers of the eVgo network can plug in their vehicles and take advantage of DC chargers that can add 30 miles of range in as little as 10 minutes. To learn more about the eVgo network and its charging plans, click here. 

The first Freedom Station is located at the H-E-B Buffalo Market at the intersection of Buffalo Speedway and Bissonnet Street. Three additional Freedom Station sites will open within the next two weeks at the Shops at Houston Center in downtown Houston, the Walgreens at 19710 Holzwarth Street, and the Walgreens at 8942 West Sam Houston Parkway North. This is part of a network that will include 25 Freedom Stations around Houston by year-end and 25 more in 2012 with additional stations located on the grounds of retailers such as H-E-B, Best Buy and others.

Each Freedom Station offers room for two cars to charge simultaneously. In addition to the 480-volt DC fast charger that can charge an EV at a rate of 160 miles of range per hour of charge, Freedom Station sites also offer a 240-volt Level 2 charger that can add up to 25 miles of range in an hour.

“This partnership with H-E-B, the Shops at Houston Center and Walgreens brings unprecedented charging capability to EV drivers in Houston,” said Arun Banskota, president of eVgo. “This Freedom Station, and the many that will follow in the coming months, will provide EV drivers with a convenient option for charging and offer them complete range confidence knowing they can power their vehicles throughout the greater Houston area.”

“The City of Houston is proud of its vision and ongoing leadership in electric vehicle and plug-in hybrid technology,” said Mayor Annise Parker. “This innovative technology is part of our alternative transportation future, helping the City save money by reducing gasoline costs while also reducing in-city tailpipe emissions.”

EV owners who purchase one of eVgo’s charging plans will have access to the eVgo network in both Houston and Dallas as well as the Interstate 45 corridor, expected to be electrified by the end of 2012. eVgo subscribers will also have access to other eVgo cities that are expected to be announced in the future.

To view a video about the network, click here.