Campus commuters now can plug in their electric vehicles at one of six new charging spaces on the Ann Arbor campus. The charging stations are available — at no cost — to faculty, staff and students with a valid parking permit.
"The installation of the new charging stations reinforces the university's commitment to innovation and sustainability and enables us to meet growing demand from EV users on campus," said Stephen Dolen, executive director of Parking & Transportation Services.
Parking officials also noted that with the charging infrastructure in place, prospective and existing owners of electric vehicles will have added confidence that they can commute and run errands around town without running out of power. "Installation of the stations is an opportunity to evaluate the success and use the information gathered to determine how we might expand the program," said Dolen. "We hope by providing infrastructure we are supporting and encouraging commuters to consider transportation options that could reduce carbon emissions."
The charging stations, manufactured by Coulomb Technologies, allow commuters to charge their cars for up to four hours.
Each station serves two vehicles. They have been installed at the following locations:
• South Campus (Lot SC32; corner of Hoover and Greene streets): Located in the southwest corner of the lot.
• Medical Campus (Ann Street Parking Structure): Located on the first level.
• North Campus (Lot NC27; Murfin Street): Located in the second row by the central pay machine.
Campus visitors and members of the university community without a valid parking permit can pay for the use of the space through a central pay machine.
"Electric vehicles are becoming increasingly common and we are thrilled that the university was able to secure federal grant funding for the purchase and installation of the new stations," Dolen said.
The project was funded through a Department of Energy grant, administered locally by the Clean Energy Coalition as part of the Michigan Green Fleets Program. In addition to the three public charging locations, a charging station was installed on North Campus for use by U-M service vehicles. The city of Ann Arbor also offers 18 charging stations at six public parking locations downtown.
The campus locations are part of the ChargePoint Network and offer Level 2 charging. Level 2 charging equipment (208-240 volts) provides more rapid charging than a standard 120-volt outlet, and depending on the vehicle, battery type and circuit capacity, can add about 10 to 20 miles of range per hour of charging time. The ChargePoint Network offers a user-friendly experience, enabling EV drivers to monitor their charging and find stations across the country via their website or mobile app.