Western Michigan already ranked as one of the country’s top universities for electric vehicle charging infrastructure before a grant helped double the school’s charging stations.
Consumers Energy’s PowerMIFleet initiative awarded Western $50,000 to add 10 new dual-port electric chargers on campus, giving the school the ability to power up 20 vehicles simultaneously, according to a press release.
Western first installed electric vehicle technology in 2011 and is ranked among the top five colleges nationally for electric charger infrastructure.
The grant also included a fleet electrification assessment which Western will use to address climate challenge commitments and efforts to become more sustainable.
“Western has a long and positive history with lowering our carbon footprint, implementing energy conservation projects, building LEED-certified building and keeping up with new trends and technologies for electric mobility on our campus,” says Pete Strazdas, associate vice president for facilities management.
The chargers are available for public use and will cost 20 cents/kilowatt hour while charging, with an additional parking fee of $1.50 per hour after two hours of charger use, continuing until the vehicle is unplugged and moved. Fees were established in part from research by Western students.
Dave Lubach is managing editor, Facility Group.
