Ribbon-cutting planned for EV fast-charging station in Ozark

Ozark, Mo. – A ribbon-cutting for Liberty’s first fast-charger installation on the east side of its service area will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26, at Signal Convenience Store, 1605 W. State Hwy. J in Ozark, Missouri.

Representatives from Liberty, Signal Food Store, and the Ozark Chamber of Commerce will speak during the event, which is planned as part of National Drive Electric Week, a nationwide effort to raise awareness of the many benefits of electric vehicles.

The new charging stations mark the second installation as part of Liberty’s Ready Charge Program. The program – approved by the Missouri Public Service Commission in 2022 – is aimed at building public charging infrastructure, said Robin McAlester, Liberty Senior Manager of Transportation Electrification.

“The main focus of the program is to cover charging-infrastructure gaps that exist in our service area,” she said. “This installation in Ozark covers a major gap along Highway 65, a highly traveled route from the Branson/Ozark area to Joplin and Kansas City.”

The fast-charging station and two Level 2 stations at Signal are part of the ChargePoint network, the largest network of EV chargers across the U.S. The chargers are not manufacturer specific and offer 24/7 customer support.

“National Drive Electric Week will be observed this year from Sept. 22 to Oct. 1,” said McAlester. “It’s an opportunity to grow awareness about electric vehicles and encourage people to visit our website, which offers a lot of information and tools to help them decide if EVs are right for them.”

For more information, visit www.driveelectricweek.org or Liberty’s EV website.