BUCHANAN — It’s the first of its kind in Buchanan, and it probably won’t be the last.

This week the city’s first electric vehicle charging station arrived at City Hall. City Manager Bill Marx said he hopes to have it installed by next week.

The single-unit station has two “pumps” so it can service two vehicles at the same time.

The charging station, purchased from ChargePoint America, is valued at $13,500. But thanks to grants, the city will only pay between $300 and $500.

Marx is hoping the charging station will make Buchanan an attractive stopping point for travelers to and from Chicago. The station is equipped with technology to alert electric car owners with smart phones or GPS devices.

“It’s a self-advertising type of thing,” Marx said.

The station will be installed on a parking island near the Buchanan Common area between Oak Street and Days Avenue.

A single charge costs about 47 cents but will come at no cost to customers initially.

“The benefit is that they can plug in and walk downtown and enjoy our community,” Marx said.

The charging station has already become a “conversation piece” for Buchanan residents, Marx said.

But he expects more and more locals will be among those using the station.

“As gas gets back up to $4 a gallon-plus, electric cars will become more attractive,” Marx said.

ChargePoint America grants have already helped install charging stations in Grand Rapids, Lansing, Ann Arbor and Detroit.