{"id":2805,"date":"2023-12-11T11:36:50","date_gmt":"2023-12-11T16:36:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swtchenergy.com\/?p=2805"},"modified":"2024-02-26T16:31:01","modified_gmt":"2024-02-26T21:31:01","slug":"sugarloaf-mountain-validates-ev-charging-as-a-must-have-resort-amenity-with-recent-expansion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swtchenergy.com\/blog\/client-profile\/sugarloaf-mountain-validates-ev-charging-as-a-must-have-resort-amenity-with-recent-expansion\/","title":{"rendered":"Sugarloaf Mountain Validates EV Charging as a Must-Have Resort Amenity with Recent Expansion"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sustainability is baked into the Sugarloaf Mountain resort ethos. As a premier, year-round outdoor sporting destination located in Carrabassett Valley, Maine, this Boyne Resorts-owned property is committed to responsible environmental stewardship.<\/span><\/p>\n

So when guest inquiries began cropping up about electric vehicle (EV) charging as an amenity on site, Sugarloaf management opted to test the waters with a pilot program. Resort leaders partnered with SWTCH to install a total of nine Level 2 charging stations in two locations on the property in 2022. These chargers build on the two Tesla charging stations and Level 1 wall outlets installed on site in years past.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n \u201c<\/span>\n
\n This was the right move from both a sustainability and a service perspective.\n <\/blockquote><\/div>\n

\u201cPeople coming here want to use their EVs,\u201d says Sugarloaf VP of Skier Services Tom Butler. \u201cAnd we want people to have an incentive to bring their EV when they visit. This was the right move from both a sustainability and a service perspective. We want guests to know that there\u2019s a place for your car here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"sugarloaf
Skier’s charging up their EV while they hit the slopes<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Fulfilling a Long-Term Commitment<\/span><\/h2>\n

In 2021, Sugarloaf joined other Boyne Resorts properties on a sustainability initiative called \u201cForeverProject<\/a>.\u201d This effort pledges a reduction in environmental impact in all areas of resort operations, and net zero emissions by 2030. In pursuit of these goals, Sugarloaf has identified key actions to take, including harnessing new opportunities such as \u201con-road vehicle electrification.\u201d Facilitating EV charging, then, fits perfectly within those goals.<\/span><\/p>\n

And the resort has seen that guest interest in EV charging as an amenity has grown quickly over time. \u201cFive years ago, no one was asking for this,\u201d shares Butler. \u201cBut once we started seeing the demand rise, we realized how real this opportunity was. EVs and the need for EV charging is not going away.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

To help address guest interest in a measured way, Sugarloaf staff identified SWTCH as a partner for installation and maintenance. They were impressed by the company\u2019s \u201csurprisingly affordable\u201d offerings, which allowed the resort to pilot a handful of charging stations to build the case for further investment. SWTCH\u2019s networked charging technology<\/a> is easily scalable, which will make future installations of additional charging stations simple for Sugarloaf.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe decided to start small and get some data, and scale up from there,\u201d Butler explains. \u201cThere aren\u2019t enough chargers to totally satisfy everyone yet, but this helps us build towards that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Guests that visit from around New England are now able to drive their EVs to site, safe in the knowledge they have a place to charge up. \u201cOnce visitors knew we had EV chargers, they started driving their EV up here,\u201d confirms Butler. \u201cYou can plug your car in when you arrive in the morning, go have fun, and then at the end of the day, you\u2019ve got plenty of charge to get home.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Even Sugarloaf locals have started using the chargers, too.<\/span><\/p>\n

EV Charging a Clear Win-Win-Win<\/span><\/h2>\n

Currently, Sugarloaf charges a fee for drivers to use the charging stations, enough to cover the electricity cost as well as a nominal fee to help recoup the installation and on-going operational costs. That\u2019s been productive, but Butler and his team strongly believe that this installation project is about more than making a quick buck.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t want to get rich off this,\u201d shares Butler. \u201cWe want people to have an incentive to bring their EV when they visit. People want to feel okay about bringing their EV to the mountain and not getting stuck without a charge to make it back, and we want them to, as well. It\u2019s good money \u2014 enough to recoup our costs \u2014 and we\u2019re doing good in the world, too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s a mission that\u2019s harmonious with Sugarloaf\u2019s customers and locals. The state of Maine is known in the region and across the country as a sustainability leader. Earlier this year, Maine was ranked <\/span>fourth greenest state in the nation<\/span><\/a> by Consumer Affairs, with New England peers Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and New York \u2014 states where many Sugarloaf visitors hail from \u2014 ranking highly, as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

Growing Sustainably for Years to Come<\/span><\/h2>\n

The first chargers were installed at Sugarloaf in November 2022, and have seen steady usage throughout their inaugural season. The upcoming winter ski season will serve as another milestone to assess how well the chargers may suit the facility\u2019s current and future needs.<\/span><\/p>\n

For Sugarloaf, EV charging clearly illustrates to guests, community members, and staff that the resort holds an ongoing commitment to the environment. \u201cCharging is very visible,\u201d shares Butler. \u201cWhen I come into work, I see the chargers. My kids see the chargers. They want to know why we\u2019re not putting more charging stations in yet!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere was never a question of why we should invest in EV charging as an amenity,\u201d concludes Butler. \u201cIt was always a matter of, \u2018How do we do this?\u2019 and \u2018How do we do this reasonably?\u2019 This solution is good for everybody.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

If you’re also keen to bring this must-have amenity to your property, get in touch with SWTCH<\/a> to learn more about the process, costs, and available incentives in your area.<\/p>\n

\"maine-golf
Set of SWTCH chargers in the parking lot of the Sugarloaf Golf Course for summer visitors.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sustainability is baked into the Sugarloaf Mountain resort ethos. As a premier, year-round outdoor sporting destination located in Carrabassett Valley, Maine, this Boyne Resorts-owned property is committed to responsible environmental stewardship. So when guest inquiries began cropping up about electric vehicle (EV) charging as an amenity on site, Sugarloaf management opted to test the waters […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":3211,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"slim_seo":{"title":"Sugarloaf Mountain Validates EV Charging as a Must-Have Resort Amenity with Recent Expansion","description":"Sustainability is baked into the Sugarloaf Mountain resort ethos. As a premier, year-round outdoor sporting destination located in Carrabassett Valley, Maine, t"},"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2805","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-client-profile"],"acf":[],"lang":"en","translations":{"en":2805},"pll_sync_post":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swtchenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2805","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swtchenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swtchenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swtchenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swtchenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2805"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/swtchenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2805\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3208,"href":"https:\/\/swtchenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2805\/revisions\/3208"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swtchenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3211"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swtchenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2805"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swtchenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2805"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swtchenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2805"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}