A car charging station is seen on campus earlier this semester. DM Photo | Kayla Beatty
“Going Green” is a growing trend around the nation, and it has recently become more popular in Mississippi. In The Princeton Review’s Guide to 332 Green Colleges of 2014, The University of Mississippi was rated as the greenest college in the state.
Through its support of plug-in electric vehicles, the university is moving toward a more sustainable and efficient campus. There are currently three car-charging stations located on campus. One station is located on the north side of Lamar Hall and is used specifically for Nissan Leafs. The other two are located on the west side of the Center for Manufacturing Excellence.
“A university such as The University of Mississippi is thinking into the future of motor transport, and we definitely want to be on the front of technical developments whenever possible,” said Ian Banner, director of facilities planning and university architect. “This is especially true when it comes to energy efficiency, fossil fuel depletion and sustainability.”
The Department of Parking and Transportation said it has not been contacted about increasing the amount of charging stations on campus, and they are unaware if anyone is using the station near Lamar.
“We currently do not restrict the charging space to electric vehicles only because of the lack of demand,” said Hal Robinson, associate director for geoinformatics programs.
Most commuters live within 10 miles of the university. This close proximity to campus may be the cause for such a low demand of charging stations. With most electric vehicles averaging a range of 40 miles, Robinson believes most owners of electric vehicles are not typically required to charge the vehicle when away from home.
In reference to a detailed account of what vehicles typically use the stations on campus, Robinson said the management software does not require specific information about the vehicles and some information is voluntary. He said there appears to be about 70 Toyota Priuses registered on campus, but there is no information about the type of Prius — Hybrid or Plug-in.
In November 2014, GreenTech Automotive opened an Electrical Vehicle Production Plant in Tunica. This manufacturer is one of the top “green” automotive producers in the country. At the new site, the company plans to produce a zero-emissions vehicle that can be recharged with a 110 AC or 220V AC wall outlet.
