Baltimore City’s Board of Estimates voted this week on an agreement to allow Electric Vehicle Institute Inc. to install and maintain plug-in charging stations at garages in the City. The company plans to install about 20 new charging stations in up to 6 City owned parking garages.

As reported by the Baltimore Sun,

Company officials said they are committing an undisclosed amount of their own funds to the installation to promote electric-vehicle use, though they expect tax breaks to partially offset the costs.

The city currently has 20 charging stations in 10 municipal garages, according to Chance Dunbar, off-street parking manager for the Parking Authority of Baltimore. There also are two curbside chargers near City Hall on the south side of Fayette Street west of Gay Street.

Installed three years ago with state funds, the electricity is free at all those chargers, though motorists still must pay to park.

Montgomery County announced recently that it also plans to expand the number of charging stations in public parking garages.

Demand for charging stations in the metro area appears to be growing. Use of at least some of the city garage chargers has more than doubled in the past two years, said Jason Mathias, an energy analyst in the city’s Department of Public Works.

Electric-vehicle enthusiasts welcomed the expansion, saying that wider adoption of plug-in transportation technology is still hampered by a lack of places to recharge.