Are you an owner of an electric vehicle? The addition of nine electric vehicle chargers on and off campus can help.
On Thursday, Oct. 17th, Sacred Heart University announced their new charging stations for electric cars on campus. The charging stations are located in the parking garages at West Campus and Park Avenue.
Gary MacNamara, director of public safety and government affairs, said the charging stations are located in different parking garages around campus. Before purchasing the West Campus building in 2016, the facility was owned by General Electric (GE).
A 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E charges, Friday, March 8, 2024, at an
electric vehicle charging station in London, Ohio.
Joshua A. Bickel, AP News
“There are seven at West Campus, three in the West upper garage and four in the East garage. There are also two in the south garage at the Park Avenue Campus. We had not received requests for chargers before we purchased the GE property, but community members quickly started using them, so we saw there was a need,” said MacNamara.
United States Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm said there has been a significant increase in the number of electric vehicles sold in just one year, according to Energy.gov.
“Today, I’m delighted to celebrate a milestone for American consumers and manufacturers: In 2023, more than 1.4 million electric vehicles were sold in the United States – 50% increase in one year,” said Granholm.
Associate Professor of Biology Suzanne Deschenes said the addition of the stations is a positive step. By utilizing the stations, harmful emissions are not being produced.
“EV charging stations are a step in the right direction, and hopefully we can build on this momentum in future to adopt green energy and additional sustainable practices,” said Deschenes.
Deschenes said the demand for electric vehicles is high, and the installation of the stations at SHU supports the use of EV’s.
“The EV charging infrastructure in this country is still not extensive enough to support demand, so SHU is helping to expand it and encourage more EV use,” said Deschennes.
A part of SHU’s mission, the Laudato Si Initiative stresses the importance of environmental justice and being ecologically conscious.
“Having these chargers on campus is also in keeping with our status as a Laudato Si’ campus,” said MacNamara.
Junior Marissa Livadhi, a Tesla owner, said the new charging stations save her time and are conveniently located. Livadhi said she no longer has to drive to other parts of town to charge her car.
“I usually have to drive 15-20 minutes to go and charge my car in Fairfield, so having more of these charging stations makes it more convenient,” said Livadhi.
Granholm mentioned the shift happening with transportation, resulting in increased electric vehicle sales.
“These developments are part of an inevitable shift toward a thriving electric transportation sector – a shift that American automakers and battery manufacturers are already carrying forward,” said Granholm.
Students, staff, and faculty can scan a QR code located on the machine to receive information about prices, as well as how to charge the car.
“The stations are used frequently. Members of the community who drive electric or hybrid vehicles appreciate the convenience, “said MacNamara.
Sara Haseney contributed to this article.
