As gas prices increase and continue to fluctuate erratically, more people are swapping out their gas guzzlers for electric vehicles. Thanks to Kit Carson Electric Cooperative (KCEC), residents and visitors around the Enchanted Circle now have 48 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations to keep their cars powered up.

In late August, Luis Reyes, Jr., CEO of KCEC; Questa’s Bobby Ortega, President of the KCEC Board of Trustees; Questa Mayor John Ortega; and Malaquias Rael and Lynn Skall of the Questa Economic Development Fund officially opened the newest EV charging station at the Questa Visitor Center. The partnership among these organizations made this installation possible.

“KCEC is creating a clean environment for our communities to preserve the natural beauty of Northern New Mexico,” Reyes said. “Creating a carbon-free climate will raise the standard for a better quality of life for our younger generations.”

This is KCEC’s second EV charging station in Questa — the first, located at the Youth and Family Center, adjacent to the Questa Library, was installed in early spring. Each charge point can accommodate two cars at a time using industry standard charging connectors (Tesla owners will need an adaptor.)

EV owners find these charging stations by downloading a special app onto their phones that identifies charging locations along their journey, which enables them to plan their route to stay fully charged. Payment is also made digitally through the app, keeping the charging tower sleek and button-free.
Questa’s “slow” chargers take up to six hours to completely “fill up” from empty; this gives guests and locals a chance to visit Village merchants and restaurants, or take a break at the Library and enjoy the Municipal Park.

Sol Luna, a local solar installer and KCEC partner, used local labor to install the EV charging stations. Reyes said the EV chargers, “will fill the demand from long-range electric vehicle drivers and will work to import and introduce new economic development opportunities to the region.”