Cherry Republic installs Glen Arbor’s first electric car chargers

By Ross Boissoneau

Sun contributor

One of the challenges for those embracing the switch to electric cars is finding a place to charge them when out on the road. Cherry Republic is part of the solution. It has installed Red E Electric Vehicle Fast Chargers at its headquarters in the Village Sampler shopping center in Glen Arbor, offering residents and visitors alike a way to charge their vehicles.

Cherry Republic owner and CEO Bob Sutherland says he has wanted to install car chargers for several years. A noted environmentalist, he wants to make sure the company is doing its part to mitigate global warming.

This addition supports Cherry Republic’s ongoing efforts to enhance their customers’ experience while embracing innovations that help preserve the natural beauty of the region. Installed in partnership with Red E, a Michigan-based electric vehicle charging company, the project brings dependable charging to Glen Arbor and helps encourage environmentally-friendly travel throughout the region.

Sutherland is mindful of the fact that while they don’t burn gasoline, the electricity to charge vehicles comes from various sources, including fossil fuels. Consumers Energy, which provides electricity to the area, utilizes a diverse portfolio of power generation, including natural gas, coal, nuclear, and renewable energy sources like wind and solar.

“I don’t want to have coal-powered (electricity)—that’s not a positive step,” Sutherland says. “We do our part. Where our charger is, it’s right next to our solar array. On the roof are solar panels.

“At the same time, we have a 600,000 kilowatt solar investment in Empire.” He says his long-term vision includes additional solar arrays where possible.

Sutherland says the process of getting them installed in the right place wasn’t easy. “It was tough to get them put in,” he says. The county said the initial site off State Street behind the angle parking was in the road right of way. Sutherland pointed to the fact other energy infrastructure, such as telephone poles and gas transfer stations, were as well, but the county was unmoved.

Eventually they were installed in the parking lot, well out of the road right of way. Sutherland agrees it was the right move. “Overall, I liked working with the county and township. It is a better spot. It’s more visible.”

And it came with a bonus: As they are right outside the Cherry Republic offices, Sutherland is often able to observe them in use. “I go out and say hi. I’m excited they’re getting discovered and used,” he says.

The response? “They look at me and say, ‘What’s so special?’”

The cost to use the chargers is typically 50 cents per kilowatt hour. The average duration for a complete fill-up is 41 minutes, and they’ve had over 35 sessions since they were installed. Sutherland says it’s important that chargers be universal and able to completely charge a vehicle in a reasonable amount of time, which these chargers do. “They’ve got to be universal. Older Teslas need an adapter to new chargers,” he notes.

It adds another facet to the marketing the company is also known for. “We did want to brand the station, make them feel a little Cherry Republic.”

Sutherland wishes the move toward electric was moving more quickly. While the large brands promised a transition to electric vehicles just a few years ago, that has stalled under the current administration, which ended the federal tax credits for new and used electric vehicles as of Sept. 30. The previous federal incentives, which offered a tax credit of up to $7,500 for new electric vehicles and $4,000 for used vehicles, were originally set to last through 2032 under the Inflation Reduction Act passed by the Biden administration

It’s also challenging to make that transition when the cost of electric vehicles outstrips that of conventional gasoline-powered vehicles. The average purchase price of a new EV is in the mid-$50,000s, while the cost of a new gasoline vehicle hovers around the low-to-mid $30,000s. However, they have higher long-term fuel and maintenance costs than do hybrids or EVs.

“It’s not going anywhere near as fast as needed,” Sutherland says. “When gas is under $3 a gallon people are not begging for (EVs).” Plus, there’s the challenge of finding charging stations. “It’s difficult to find placement in rural America.” That’s just the point Sutherland is addressing.

While he himself doesn’t drive an electric vehicle, he says that’s coming. “I’m not driving electric yet. But I’m planning on the next one (being electric). They (the electric vehicle industry) went after the luxury market first. I just like (something) practical.

“I want to be part of the transition to electric vehicles. I don’t know one person who doesn’t like it.”