Cedar Rapids hospital plans vehicle charging stations

A Cedar Rapids hospital is planning to install two electric vehicle charging stations.

UnityPoint-St. Luke's will have a charging station for visitors and the public behind the parking ramp on the west side of the hospital campus. A second charging station for doctors and other health care providers will be housed on the east side of the hospital.

The Level 2 charging stations will require the use of radio frequency identification (RFID) cards, which can be obtained at the hospital administrative offices. Installation of the charging stations is scheduled to begin today, with the units expected to be fully operational after June 10.

The number of charging stations in the Corridor has grown in recent years as more electric cars have been purchased. From a total of eight in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City in December 2012, the number of charging stations has expanded to 15.

Most of the stations are Level 2 units, and the majority do not charge drivers for electricity. Level 2 allows for a wide range of charging speeds, all the way up to 19.2 kilowatts (kW), or about 70 miles of range per hour of charging.