SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – Seminole County is transforming an empty parking lot at Seminole State College into a major charging hub for its SCOUT ride-hailing service, marking a significant expansion of the county’s electric transportation infrastructure.
The project’s first phase includes installing 30 Level 2 chargers and two DC fast chargers at Seminole State College’s Sanford/Lake Mary Campus. The fast chargers will be available for public use, creating a dual-purpose infrastructure benefiting both the transit system and local residents.
“Something the taxpayers have paid for sitting here that the taxpayers are having to maintain... now through this partnership, we’re able to take it from a liability and turn it into an asset,” said Ben Pauluhn, president and founder of Optimus Energy Solutions, the Mt. Dora-based company installing the charging network.
The county anticipates significant cost savings from the initiative. According to Pauluhn, the electric fleet costs about 50% less to operate compared to traditional internal combustion vehicles, factoring in maintenance and operating expenses.
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Future expansion plans could bring up to 50 additional chargers to the depot, with potential rollout of fast chargers across all Seminole County campuses. The network will feature a hub-and-spoke model, allowing SCOUT vehicles to recharge quickly during their routes.
“You have central hub, and then you’ve got all these spokes where they can charge 15, 20 minutes and then run another 5 or 20 routes depending on the distances,” Pauluhn explained. “The Scout vehicles are not going to be using those fast chargers all the time, so they are 24/7 open to the public.”
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SCOUT, which launched in October, provides on-demand transportation throughout Seminole County using Volkswagen ID Buzz electric vehicles. The service operates on a zone-based fare system, with rides starting at $4, and offers discounts for eligible passengers.
Regular SCOUT rider Chuck Carpenter sees the expansion as necessary to meet growing demand. “They need more vehicles,” Carpenter said. “Everything’s growing. Deltona’s getting big. Sanford, Lake Mary... They need more transportation.”
For more information about SCOUT services or charging station locations, residents can contact Seminole County transit services.