EV drivers can fuel up at new charging hub

By Sophia Surret – Daily Memphian

April 22, 2025

Memphis-based auto dealership YK Auto Group announced Tuesday, April 22, that Chuck Hutton Toyota’s Electri-CITY Park has opened at 4601 Hutton Way in Whitehaven.

The electric-vehicle charging station is a collaboration between Toyota Motor North America, Freedom Solar and ChargePoint. It offers amenities similar to a convenience-store-style gas station.

The site includes EV charging stations, a dog park, restrooms, a golf simulator, TVs, lounge areas and work cubicles.

Young Kim, owner of YK Auto Group and dealer principal of Chuck Hutton Toyota, said fully charging an EV takes more than half an hour.

“I don’t think you should just wait in your car for 30 to 45 minutes going through your phone,” Kim said. “The best thing to do is stretch your legs, go to a dog park and hit some golf balls. (We’ve) got a ramen-noodle vending machine coming next month.”

Bill Webb, director of business development for YK Auto Group and Chuck Hutton Toyota, said the station is designed as a destination for both locals and long-distance travelers.

“We offer a place to relax, take a break from the road and charge your car,” Webb said.

Kim said sustainability has been a priority throughout his career and that Electri-CITY Park reflects that focus. The grand opening coincided with Earth Day.

The charging station is powered by an on-site six-acre solar farm designed and installed by Freedom Solar Power.

Six sheep roam the solar panels to maintain the landscape and reduce the need for mowing.

Kim is also planting trees in areas without solar panels. More than 200 trees have been planted so far, including 40 on the day of the grand opening.

During the opening, Chuck Hutton Toyota received a Bronze Award in Toyota’s Dealership Environmental Excellence Program, which supports efforts to reduce energy and water use.

A second phase of the project will include a community multisport field with a soccer-sized football field and pickleball courts.

“We went all out,” Kim said.