Loon Mountain, N.H., has installed 13 public Level 2 chargers (left)—which are constantly in use on weekends—and four private chargers for its own electric vehicles (above).
not see as much demand as those with a large drive market. While Purgatory’s two fast chargers are meeting the current need there, Loon Mountain Resort, N.H., recently more than tripled its charging capacity, and is already considering
expand the charging network, especially where broader state- wide or regional plans have identified charging gaps within communities. Purgatory Resort, Colo., is on a segment of isolated, rugged highway corridor identified by the Colorado Energy Office as a priority location for fast charging. Through the state’s grant program, the ski area added two 200-kilowatt (kW) direct cur- rent fast chargers in 2021. Prior to that, “If you needed a charge to get home from here, you would find yourself in a pretty chal- lenging situation,” says general manager Dave Rathbun. Purgatory worked with the regional power utility and the state energy office to get these chargers up and running in about a year, with all three entities sharing the expense. “The power authority oversaw the installation, and we had an easement on some of our private land that was adjacent to where the power came through the parking lot,” Rathbun recalls. “These sit on our private land and, as part of our agreement, we capture the income, which so far is not very much.” DEMAND MANAGEMENT A variety of charger types exist, namely direct current fast chargers (DCFC) and Level 2 chargers, which use alternating current (AC). Both types come in different power ranges, and therefore charging speeds. Power level, cost, and utility capabil- ities are all variables to consider when deciding which type of charger is most efficient and appropriate for a given location. Also, the use cases for DCFC and Level 2 chargers differ. DCFCs are typically best suited for locations where people will only be stopped for short periods of time, such as near high- ways where drivers want to charge quickly and continue back on the road. Level 2 chargers are an effective option for loca- tions where drivers spend multiple hours, like ski areas. Aside from Purgatory’s fast chargers, other resorts we spoke with have all installed Level 2 chargers. Whether a resort sees primarily day or overnight guests is another factor that can help indicate if charging is a smart investment. The prevalence of EVs varies across resorts as wide- ly as the distances guests travel to ski. Destination resorts may
another expansion. “We realized every day that the most com- mon radio call from the parking lot team was, ‘Are there any chargers left?’” says general manager Brian Norton. For nearly a decade, Loon was the only ski area in New Hampshire to offer public charging, and it immediately saw an abundance of use from guests driving two hours from the Boston metro area. When it came time to expand the infrastruc- ture, Norton says, “We jumped all in because we know we have the demand.” The resort installed a large-scale public charging area that now has 13 chargers and added a private charging sta- tion with four chargers just for its fleet vehicles. “All 13 of those are filled every Saturday and Sunday during the winter, so we could probably do more,” says Norton. Norton keeps in touch with the state’s other ski areas and knows several are working on adding charging. For others, charging is not a focus because guests are mostly local and trav- el just a short distance to ski. He recommends collaborating with nearby resorts and attractions to determine which loca- tion has the highest demand and the most appropriate access to the electrical capacity required to support EV charging. UTILITY ENGAGEMENT Prior to installing charging equipment, resorts must work with their utility provider to determine whether existing electrical systems can handle an influx of demand and if service or equip- ment upgrades are necessary to add or expand charging on site. Depending on the location of transformers and other electrical equipment, cost sharing with the utility might make sense. To power its 19-kW Level 2 chargers, Loon worked with its utility to find a location on site that is both well suited for charging and served by a utility-managed transformer. “This allowed the utility to tap into their resources to source a big- ger transformer in essentially half the time it would have taken us,” says Norton. “From a pure timing perspective, this partner- ship helped speed up the procurement process, plus we also split the cost of the equipment upgrade with the utility.” Supply chain delays for high voltage transformers are an issue for charging projects, elevating costs and prolonging
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