| Use this interactive Google Map created by the UAB Reporter to see which EV charging station is closest to you. |
UAB has partnered with Alabama Power Co. to install 18 new electric car-charging units in five employee-only parking lots on campus.
Beginning June 29, employees can use four new charging stations in each of these locations:
When the new Collat School of Business opens later this summer, two additional charging ports will be accessible in its parking lot. These complement the eight public-access electric vehicle-charging stations already located on campus.
“UAB is committed to encouraging its employees to be their most sustainable selves,” said Julie Price, manager of UAB Sustainability. “EV-charging stations are a new technology that can help educate the campus.”
To celebrate the new additions, UAB Sustainability is hosting an event 11 a.m.-1 p.m. June 29 in Lot 5A, the location of one of the first public-access electric vehicle (EV) stations. During the event, EV dealers will showcase their newest models and share information on electric vehicles.
Some EVs are hybrids; they contain an electric motor and battery for driving short ranges and a gasoline-powered engine for longer distances. Others are powered entirely by electricity. According to U.S. Department of Energy, the use of EVs can improve public health and reduce ecological damage by reducing carbon emissions that contribute to climate change and smog.
The EV parking spots are designated by these markers.
“Additionally, all-electric vehicles are typically less expensive to maintain and fuel,” Price said. In Alabama, the cost of fueling an electric vehicle is just $1.12 per eGallon, compared to $2.61 or more for a gallon of gasoline.
“They also make less noise than traditional vehicles,” she said.
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“UAB is committed to encouraging its employees to be their most sustainable selves. EV-charging stations are a new technology that can help educate the campus.” |
As in Lot 5A, the existing electric-vehicle stations, located in Express Lot No. 4 and Lot 77, remain open to the public, but the 18 new spots are designated for employees only. Sustainability and Parking and Transportation will monitor the frequency, duration and peak-use times for the stations to manage the need for more on campus.
Electric vehicle drivers will need to download the free ChargePoint mobile app to use the Electric Vehicle Service Equipment (EVSEs). The stations are capable of fully charging an electric vehicle in four hours.
Policies regulating the use of the new EV-charging stations are available on the UAB Sustainability website. Employees who drive an electric vehicle are encouraged to complete this survey for UAB Parking and Transportation.