Raleigh, N.C. — North Carolina State University has installed the first Level 2 charging station for electric vehicles in Raleigh. The station is available free for public use, but users will be asked to sign a log book to help researchers collect data.

The station, which is already up and running, is located at the E. Carroll Joyner Visitor Centeron Varsity Drive, near the intersection of Western Boulevard. A second charging station will be in place by the end of this month.

Level 2 charging stations use a dedicated 220/240 volt, 40 amp circuit. They will be in demand when plug-in electric vehicles hit the market in spring 2011.

The JVC station is funded by a Clean Fuel Advanced Technology grant from the North Carolina Department of Transportation and the North Carolina Solar Center at N.C. State.