UT Arlington to offer free charging station for electric vehicles
The University of Texas at Arlington will make going green a little easier for motorists with the addition of a free public charging station for electric vehicles.
The station – which is likely to be Arlington’s first public station – is being installed in the new, north College Park garage at UTA Boulevard between Pecan and Center streets. The parking structure opens for campus use Aug. 22 and is one of two that will serve the College Park residential and retail center. The full development is scheduled to open in August 2012.
The charging station was donated by City Electric Supply’s Arlington office. City Electric Supply is a distributor for General Electric, the maker of the EV Charger.
“UT Arlington is committed to environmentally sustainable practices, and this donation from City Electric Supply helps us take that commitment a step further," said John Hall, UT Arlington vice president for administration and campus operations. “With City Electric’s generous gift, we can encourage car buyers in our community to consider new, energy-efficient vehicle options.”
The north garage was developed in partnership with the First Baptist Church of Arlington and the city of Arlington. It provides 1,089 new spaces for students, faculty and staff as well as church staff and visitors. A second phase will add 721 parking spaces and be complete in summer 2012.
Room for six additional charging stations with space for two cars at each are included in plans for the final phase. The electric car market – which already includes the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan LEAF – is expected to expand in 2012 with the addition of plug-in models by Ford, Honda and others.
College Park District spans more than 20 acres along Center Street at the University’s eastern border. It includes the College Park Center, a 7,000-seat event venue expected to be completed late this year, and the mixed-use College Park development.
Joel Lee, DFW Group Manager for City Electric Supply, said UT Arlington was the perfect customer to debut the new charging station. City Electric’s Arlington branch manager Jaclyn Cooper and outside sales representative Joshua Randall worked with the University to arrange the donation. Lee said the easy-to-use model would fit in well with students’ lifestyles.
“If they’re doing research at the library, they can plug it in, go do their research, go to some classes and when they come back, it’s ready to go,” he said.
UT Arlington’s Office of Facilities Management has undertaken several projects to help make Arlington more environmentally sustainable. University officials also are working with the city of Arlington and waste management company Republic Services to develop a shared fueling station for compressed natural gas vehicles.
The University of Texas at Arlington is a comprehensive research institution of 33,800 students in the heart of North Texas. Visit www.uta.edu to learn more.
Media contact: Traci Peterson, tpeterso@uta.edu, 817-272-9208
The University of Texas at Arlington, www.uta.edu
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