Electric vehicle drivers visiting Fudpuckers Beachside Bar and Grill in Destin can now charge their cars while enjoying a meal or visiting the restaurant’s alligator park.
- Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) has installed an EVolution fast charging station in the parking lot of the popular restaurant. The station features four charging ports that can charge an electric vehicle in about 30 minutes.
“From start to finish, working with Florida Power & Light to bring EV chargers to Fudpuckers has been a delight,” said Chester Kroeger, owner of Fudpuckers Beachside Bar & Grill. “They are helping us bring a much needed and top-quality EV charging station to the Destin area.”
The new charging site comes as electric vehicles grow in popularity in the region. According to data from EV research group IHS Markit, the number of EV registrations in Bay, Walton, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Escambia counties increased by nearly 50% over the last year, rising from over 4,400 in 2023 to more than 6,500 by February 2024.
J.T. Young, VP & general manager of FPL Northwest region, said, “Our customers and EV users long for the confidence of knowing they can charge up quickly and reliably. With this innovative program, we’re powering up their journeys and meeting their growing needs for charging.”
The Fudpuckers site is one of ten new FPL EVolution charging locations in Northwest Florida. Other sites include locations in Pensacola, Pace, Crestview, Fort Walton Beach, Watersound, and Panama City Beach.
- FPL plans to open additional sites in the region, including stations in Pensacola and Fort Walton Beach.
Drivers can find FPL EVolution public charging locations through the free FPL EVolution app or by visiting FPL.com/EV.
