EV Charging Stations for Overnight Guests

[caption id="attachment_2294" align="alignleft" width="300"] Electric car charging station for Tesla and Electric Cars[/caption]

At the Swantown Inn & Spa, in Olympia Washington, we like to think we move with the times. We try to keep up with the latest technology, while respecting the historic nature of our property. In 2016 we made an upgrade to our electric supply and in turn added an Electric Vehicle Charging Station.  This station has one Tesla specific charger and one universal charger.

We offer this added amenity to primarily our overnight guests, however if you are here during the day for a meeting, espresso or the like, you can also plug in! This is a free value add amenity. [caption id="attachment_2295" align="alignright" width="225"] Our Tesla specific charger[/caption]

In a very generous move, Tesla provided us with the stations, as part of their Destination Charging Program. We had the expense of upgrading our electrical service, which we needed to do for our expansion anyway. We also dug the trench for the wiring. Tesla graciously paid for the electrical work to hook up the electric charging stations. They even allowed us to use a local electrician, which was a nice move to support local small business!

We can support most electric vehicle makes and models.  Tesla's for sure, and any vehicle that accepts the universal charger.

Since originally writing this post, EV vehicles have become more mainstream. There are too many variants to list!

[caption id="attachment_2296" align="alignleft" width="225"] Universal Charger for most Electric Cars[/caption]

Up until recently we owned a Prius EV, that allowed you to plug-in and travel on EV in ideal conditions. We traded ours in as we have a growing family. We need a little more cargo space and went with a Prius V. In 2018 we went fully electric with a Nissan Leaf. It has been the perfect car for errands and short trips. In 2023 we are hoping to add a larger family size car for those longer road trips and the like.

In 2021 we added over 40 solar panels to the back of the Inn. These panels generate up to 75% of our power in the summer months, and about half in the winter. We have also recently upgraded our heating to electric heat pumps, so this increased efficiency may result in more savings.

The great thing is we have invested for the future as well. We plan to add one more set of panels some time in the future, bringing us closer to net zero. You can read more about our endeavors to make the Inn greener here.