American Public University System is Using Electric Vehicles
by James May and Jennifer Lefebvre
EVP1000 Pickup Truck
In February 2009, American Public University System (APUS) purchased two electric vehicles (EVs) for transporting people, equipment, mail, and supplies across the university’s Charles Town, West Virginia campus. Using EVs at APUS will aid in fulfilling the school’s commitment to the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) by providing fuel efficient transportation around campus and reducing CO2 and other harmful emissions created when using traditional vehicles. Prior to purchasing the EVs, employees used their personal vehicles to move goods and mail around the organization.
Due to insurance restrictions, not every employee has access to drive the vehicles but members of the facilities and Information Technology (IT) staffs are able to use them to perform their duties. Since APUS occupies 14 buildings in Charles Town, the EVs are also used to transport employees requiring shuttle service between building locations. Combined, these vehicles log an average of 31 miles per week. APUS’ IT and facilities staffs report that the use of the vehicles has virtually eliminated the need for personal vehicles to be used for moving goods and people between APUS buildings.
The university’s facilities department purchased an EVP1000 van and an EVP1000 pickup truck manufactured by Vantage Vehicle. These vehicles feature a plug-in system and can be recharged from a standard 120-volt wall outlet. Both vehicles reach a top governing speed of only 25 miles per hour, can run up to 60 miles on a single charge, and recharge completely within seven to 12 hours. Due to the slow speed, the vehicles are classified as low-speed vehicles (LSVs) and are commonly called neighborhood electric vehicles. For safety reasons, they are confined to streets with a speed limit of 35 miles per hour or less which is perfect for APUS since all of the buildings on the school’s Charles Town campus fall within the city limits on streets that have a maximum speed limit of only 25 miles per hour.
EVs require significantly less maintenance than traditional vehicles. The motors used in these vehicles have few moving parts and do not require engine oil, antifreeze, or transmission fluid. All of these substances contain potentially harmful chemicals. Using EVs means that APUS does not have to worry about potentially damaging the environment through carbon emissions or maintenance on its campus vehicles.
Recently, Campus Safety Magazine published an article about EVs which may be helpful if you or your organization is considering purchasing such a vehicle. The article contains a wealth of helpful information and an in-depth Q&A section which is also worthwhile.
Tags: American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, American Public University System, Campus Safety Magazine, Electric Vehicles, Vantage Vehicle
March 26th, 2010 at 2:50 pm
[...] location. If you or your organization is in the market for an electric vehicle, you may find our recent blog article helpful in making your [...]