Getting charged-up over electric cars
Campus to get two electric vehicle charging stations
Electric cars and plug-in hybrids were celebrated in dozens of cities around the country in late September at National Plug In Day.
One of those celebrations took place in Santa Cruz, sponsored by the Monterey Bay Electric Vehicle Alliance (MBEVA). It drew 600 participates, who were able to test drive electric cars and motorcycles and learn about the vehicles.
At the event, Cal State Monterey Bay received a certificate of recognition for its plans to install two electric vehicle-charging stations on campus later this year. Professor Dan Fernandez (photo below), co-chair of the Campus Sustainability Committee, accepted the certificate.
The project is an effort by Campus Planning and Development to reduce vehicle-related greenhouse gas emissions and promote transportation that is consistent with the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment.
The chargers are primarily funded by MBEVA, using grant money from the California Energy Commission. Approximately 40 chargers will be installed throughout the county.
The chargers – to be located at the Alumni and Visitors Center and the Student Center – will be able to accommodate modern plug-in vehicles and will also allow access to all other electric vehicles and motorcycles.
Any vehicle parked in the charging spaces will be required to have a valid parking permit. Use of the chargers will be free.
Due to increased public awareness, government subsidies and rising gas prices, the number of electric vehicles on American roads more than quadrupled between 2000 and 2010, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. When major auto companies began producing electric cars in 2010, the number of charging stations skyrocketed in response. Over the course of a year, the number of stations rose by 2,853, a 527 percent increase, according to the EIA.
Electric vehicles have been driven an estimated 200 million miles on U.S. roads, according to a study released recently by the Sierra Club, which, along with Plug-In America and the Electric Auto Association, organized National Plug In Day.