By Jessica Holdman
SCDailyGazette.com
COLUMBIA — Electric vehicle drivers can charge up for free at 30 of South Carolina’s 47 state parks, including Beaufort County’s Hunting Island State Park.
The park charging network is the result of a pair of programs: a partnership between the state parks department and the state’s utility watchdog that brought chargers to three parks in 2020 and 2021, and a larger effort started in late 2022 by Rivian. The electric vehicle maker installed EV chargers in the parks free of charge, according to Duane Parrish, director of the state’s department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism.
Park visitors must pay an admission fee but otherwise the chargers are free to use on a first-come, first-served basis. The state picks up the tab for the electricity costs.
The free chargers are part of an effort to increase charging availability in the state.
South Carolina remains 31st in the nation and next to last in the Southeast when it comes to the number of fast chargers per capita, according to the most recent report issued by the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy.
The stations at South Carolina’s parks are powerful enough to add about 25 miles of range per hour of charging, allowing people to spend time at the park and return to a recharged car. Having the chargers in the parks can also give visitors more peace of mind that they won’t run out of power when visiting some of the state’s more remote recreation spots.
Most parks have two charging spaces, but the busiest destinations have four. The chargers work with all electric vehicles, not just Rivian’s.
However, because the chargers are hardwired into the parks’ existing power connection, the state has not tracked how frequently electric vehicle driver have used the stations since Rivian finished installing them in 2023.
“According to the feedback we hear at our sites, park visitors who use the stations are grateful they are there, and they enjoy hiking or taking in the scenery while they charge,” Parrish told the S.C. Daily Gazette on Thursday.
Online reviews left on platforms for electric vehicle drivers, such as PlugShare, do provide some insight.
“Awesome! Right by the ranger station and boat ramp. Ranger said they’re popular — someone’s charging here nearly every day,” a Ford Lightning truck driver wrote in April 2024 while using the charger at Devils Fork State Park on the shores of Lake Jocassee in the Upstate.
She was one of 21 users to leave a review.
“Great that SC state parks have these! Charging overnight after pulling my camper here!” a Rivian driver wrote in March 2024 while visiting Poinsett State Park near Sumter.
“I went on a short hike and returned to a fully charged car!” a Fiat driver visiting Table Rock State Park in the Upstate wrote in August 2024.
“On a sunny day you can walk the beach. If it’s not so nice out, there’s also a cute little gift shop,” a Nissan driver visiting Huntington Beach State Park along the Grand Strand wrote in January 2023.
She was one of 59 people to leave a review.
Other popular parks, such as Paris Mountain in Greenville and Charles Towne Landing in Charleston had between 23 and 68 reviews from users.
The stations are not without their issues. Common complaints included non-electric vehicles blocking the charging spaces or the chargers being out of order.
“All new assets come with maintenance and upkeep, so occasionally the stations have to close for repairs — some of which can be done by park staff, but occasionally may require outside technical expertise,” Parrish said. “Overall, they have been a nice amenity to offer park users that require minimal effort and expense on our end.”
Jessica Holdman writes about the economy, workforce and higher education. Before joining the S.C. Daily Gazette, she was a business reporter for The Post and Courier. S.C. Daily Gazette is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
