A pedestal charger stands in a hotel conference room where prospective hosts signed up to participate in the EV Project.

Hotels, restaurants and even churches are vying to host the state’s first public charging stations for electric vehicles. This week they’re signing agreements to participate in a stimulus-funded project. Hundreds of organizations are considering turning their parking lots into the gas stations of the future.

Because of federal grants, the charging stations themselves are free to the hosts. Some businesses see them as a novelty like wi-fi access once was. Others see a practical necessity.

Alexis Inn and Suites near the Nashville airport has signed up to get two free units. Vice president Kirrit Bhikha says travelers will come to expect charging capabilities, especially since rental car companies are some of the first to get electric cars.

“So the people with the chargers are going to be the ones who get the business,” he says. “Whether you’re a restaurant, hotel, any entity out there.”

Asked if he would put his own money into the chargers, Bhikha says “not in the beginning.”

At first, there won’t be enough electric cars on the road for businesses to justify investing thousands into chargers. But drivers need public charging to ease fears about running out of juice and getting stranded. It’s a classic chicken and egg problem, which is why the Department of Energy came up with the EV Project. It will fund thousands of chargers in states where Nissan is releasing the battery-powered Leaf next month.

Not everyone who wants a charger will get one. Tennessee manager Stephanie Cox says she’s looking for variety to test out what locations work best. Cox says she’s been surprised by some proposals.

“Right off the bat, Knoxville as well as Nashville came forward and said we think church properties are ideal locations, and some church properties are,” Cox says. “As we’ve looked into that in more depth. They’re not just visited on Sundays. Some of them are park and ride locations.”

Most prospective charging hosts see a win-win, but some are still skeptical. The host has to pay for the electricity, which averages about $1.50 per car. One hotel manager says that doesn’t sound like “free” to us.

The Department of Energy intends to have 2,500 public charging stations in Tennessee by this time next year.

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The EV project primarily focuses on sites within a 25 miles radius of urban areas. That’s what makes Tennessee’s role in the EV Project unique.

ECOtality, the company hired by DOE to oversee the project, has plans to create waypoints between Knoxville, Chattanooga and Nashville. Because of the Leaf’s 100 mile range, drivers would have to stop once on the trip.

BP has agreed to host 15 DC fast chargers between the cities. Those are 480 volt hookups that can charge a depleted Nissan Leaf battery in roughly 30 minutes.