HILTON, N.Y. — The village of Hilton is the latest municipality to install a new EV charging station.

The six-port EV charging station is located on Hovey Street in the village. It’s open and available to any electric vehicle driver. The idea is to park and charge while you shop and eat in the village. Right now, power at the Hilton charging station is available free of charge. The village says it’s a temporary incentive to get more people to visit the village.

“We are a clean energy community and we want to encourage that,” said Hilton village manager/clerk Shari Pearce. “The idea is residents and people can come and plug-in, go to eat and shop in the central business district as they give their car a little jolt and then they go on their way.”

Tom Brennan owns a hybrid car. He gets about 50 miles a charge. He works at a restaurant in Hilton so he appreciates that he can get a quick charge and go.

“So it depends on what my miles are if I need to charge,” Brennan said. “So it is kind of handy that I don’t have to worry about getting home without buying any gas. So now I’m buying less gas.”

The village partnered with NYSERDA and RG&E that funded 90% of the project. Charge New York is the state’s initiative to get more electric cars and trucks on the road. More charging stations are needed to keep the EV's going.

“We are very fortunate,” Hilton Mayor Joe Leo said. “Timing was everything and with the area and the property we own. It is a terrible thing with gas sky high. More and more people are looking to buy electric vehicles so that is what we are all about.”

Hilton is installing another EV charging station at the community center. That’s expected to open next month.

The PlugShare EV driving app maps out about 600 electric vehicle charging stations in Greater Rochester and 4,600 statewide.