To better serve travelers and the community, the Sleep Inn Hotel installed an electric vehicle charging station a few weeks ago.

An electric vehicle charging station is equipment that connects an electric vehicle (EV) to a source of electricity to recharge electric cars, neighborhood electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, according to https://www.techtarget.com

“We are only the second public charging station in town,” Sleep Inn Manager Bill Michaud said. “The only other one being Evergy with a single port station in front of their offices on Old Fort Blvd.”

The Sleep Inn is located at 320 E. Wall, Fort Scott.

Currently. Michaud knows of only one other hotel charging station in the area, in Overland Park.

“As far as hotels in southeast Kansas,  the Hampton Inn at Prairie Fire Casino is the only other hotel based EV station, ” Michaud said. We are hopeful that adding this station will open the doors to our community to the growing number of EV drivers.”

Michaud is in the process of adding the Sleep Inn charging station to the numerous station locator online apps. This makes it easy for drivers  to plan sites that can accommodate their electric vehicles   along a route.

“Our charger is a JuiceBar brand, two-port, 32 amp charger that operates on the EVConnect network,” he said. “To use the station you simply download the EVConnect app and use the station identifying QR code on the side of the charging station to activate the port.”

“The station is open to the public – not restricted to hotel guest use,” he said. “We just hope that making the charging station available will bring people to town that otherwise wouldn’t ,due to lack of charging options. I’m told that the 32amp charger will charge an EV at the rate of 25 miles per hour on the charger giving someone that’s plugged in for 12 hours up to 300 miles in driving range.”