If you have a rechargeable electric car, the city has made some prime parking available for you.
And, state transportation stats show, you don’t have as much competition for the coveted meter spots.
The city yesterday unveiled three on-street electric car charging stations in metered spots in front of City Hall Plaza.
The pilot program sets aside the green-marked spaces for electric car owners who need to recharge their batteries. The only cost is the usual price of the parking meter.
“Boston is a world-class city and one of the most forward-thinking “green” cities in the country,” said Mayor Thomas Menino.
While the highly touted, yearlong pilot program is meant to promote the use of electric vehicles, those types of vehicles have much growth to achieve in both Boston and the state.
Registration data showed that hybrid and pure electric cars make up about 1.1 percent of all cars in Boston and a slightly lower 1 percent statewide. Pure electric cars make up a much smaller fraction of a percent.
“It’s almost non-existent,” said John Paul, a spokesman for AAA Southern New England. Paul said that price-wise, the cars are still hard to justify.
Paul said a standardization of car charging stations is a good start.
“What will make electric cars popular is having a place to charge them,” he said.
By the numbers
IN?BOSTON
2,705
Electric- and gas-powered (hybrid) cars
17
Electric cars
248,380
Total registered cars
IN?THE?STATE
42,213
Electric- and gas-powered (hybrid) cars statewide
272
Electric cars
4.2 million
Total registered cars
Source: MassDOT
