Electric vehicle owners can now travel to Bellevue College, park in a Direct Charger-accessible parking spot and expect to receive about an 80% battery charge in less than 30 minutes. BC is the first public college in the western U.S. to offer such a utility, out of a mere 87 DC chargers throughout the entire nation.
What began as a student project at BC has spurred into an exalted feat. This project was granted funding through the Student Environmental Sustainability Fund which students applied for, got passed and proceeded to take steps towards installment. It is “exciting for students to see the future is here on campus,” claimed Deric Gruen, sustainability and resource conservation manager at BC.
The recent additions to BC’s EV charger collection are copiously quicker than conventional chargers. This means that EV owners who didn’t previously have the opportunity to travel to BC have gained free-range knowing they can have a quick charge and make it back home.
“Electric vehicles are cogitated as more environmentally friendly than those considered standard or customary. They contain ‘fewer moving parts’ and therefore produce ‘much less carbon emissions’ than regular cars,” said Gruen. They rely on electric currents rather than mechanisms that create carbon emissions. This in turn allows the use of renewable resources to provide energy. The more solar, wind, etc. energy reliant upon assistance in capturing electricity, the less environmental impact there will be.
The benefits of electric vehicles environmentally outweighs those of standard cars, but BC is still remote from their convenience.
BC is setting an example to the foundations around us that if we provide more sustainable options, they will be utilized. Until then, it is important for drivers to know that personal vehicles are not the most environmentally sound, as there are much more viable alternatives including bussing and carpooling.
The DC charger installments are available for anyone to use. Clients can purchase “Blink” cards through www.blinknetwork.com which “gives them discount rates,” Gruen explained. Users also have the option to pay with their credit cards, but will not be granted any discounts.