Columbia Club Home to First Electric Car Charging Station

Indy Chamber News Archives

The Columbia Club will soon be home to the first electric car charging station on Monument Circle. The Columbia Club will host a special ribbon cutting ceremony to open the new charging station on May 13^th. The charging station is a clubhouse feature for members and their guests. Its recent installment is a testament to the future of automobile technology here in Indianapolis and across the country.  

The Columbia Club has been at the forefront of electrical power in Indianapolis since its inception. The Marmon-Perry Light Company, predecessor of today’s Indianapolis Power and Light Company, was first organized in 1888 on The Columbia Club’s property. Marmon and Perry were both charter members of The Columbia Club, and their close association allowed them to strike an agreement to begin operating two boilers, an engine, and two generators in the rented Spades barn behind the Clubhouse. The steady gleam of incandescent lamps began to illuminate downtown Indianapolis in 1889, and Columbians began to boast that the city’s first central station for incandescent lighting and steam heat was located on their lot.

The Columbia Club continues their proud tradition of supporting new electrical energy initiatives here in Indianapolis with the installment of an electric car charging station in front of the clubhouse.

“Not only is the new charging station a convenience to many of our members who now own electric vehicles, it is also a sign of progress for the city.” Said James Rentschler, General Manager of The Columbia Club. “Indianapolis has done an exceptional job embracing alternative energy in so many ways, and we are thrilled to be able to do our part to help foster a cleaner and healthier downtown for all to enjoy.“

The charging station was implemented to allow the growing number of Columbians who have electric vehicles the convenience of charging their vehicles while they visit the Club. Most electric vehicles can only go 100-200 miles before running out of power. Since one cannot simply gas up their vehicle at a nearby fuel station, many owners of electric vehicles face what’s referred to as “range anxiety”, which is the fear of running out of power while still on the road. Not only will current Columbian’s with electric vehicles not have to worry about range anxiety as much, the new charging station also serves to encourage members to utilize electric vehicle transportation in the future.

The growth of electric vehicles has been remarkable in the last few years, and The Columbia Club’s recent installment will hopefully help spur the development of more charging stations across the city in the years to come in Indianapolis.

MEDIA ADVISORY 

The Columbia Club will host a special ribbon cutting ceremony to open the new electric car charging station on May 13^th. The charging is a clubhouse feature for members and their guests. Its recent installment is a testament to the future of automobile technology here in Indianapolis and across the country. 

The Columbia Club has been at the forefront of electrical power in Indianapolis since its inception. The Marmon-Perry Light Company, predecessor of today’s Indianapolis Power and Light Company, was first organized in 1888 on The Columbia Club’s property. Marmon and Perry were both charter members of The Columbia Club, and their close association allowed them to strike an agreement to begin operating two boilers, an engine, and two generators in the rented Spades barn behind the Clubhouse.

The steady gleam of incandescent lamps began to illuminate downtown Indianapolis in 1889, and Columbians began to boast the city’s first central station for incandescent lighting and steam heat was located on their lot.