Electric vehicle added to COW fleet
The College of Wooster introduced its first electric vehicle to its campus fleet late this fall.
The College of Wooster introduced its first electric vehicle to its campus fleet late last fall, marking a step in making the fleet more environmentally friendly and supporting the college’s commitment to sustainability.
“This van is a test for the campus to see how well these vehicles fit into our environment as well as our efforts toward sustainability,” said Angila Tracey, facility operations manager for the college.
Electric vehicles like Wooster’s, outfitted in school colors and tartan, produce lower emissions and are three to four times more efficient than gasoline-powered vehicles. They also reduce noise and have lower maintenance and upkeep costs, especially considering the money saved by not needing to buy gasoline.
“My department pays the fuel invoice for the campus fleet, and that has grown exponentially the last few years with increased gas prices,” Tracey said. “Using an electric van eliminates that cost of gas entirely.”
The college’s campus fleet consists of around 50 vehicles. As some of the vehicles in the fleet aged, Tracey began replacing or trading the older vehicles out of the fleet. When it came time to purchase a new vehicle for Steph Porter, a licensed electrician, Tracey determined an electric vehicle was the best option because of its sustainability and the short distances that technicians drive.
After it was purchased, one of the college’s carpenters then outfitted the vehicle with insulation and shelving, allowing Porter to store her ladder and tools in the van.
“Our team is very excited to begin the electric vehicle upgrades on campus,” Tracey said of future plans. “We really hope that this van works out well and the campus can explore moving more into this direction in the future.”
Tracey and her team are exploring adding more charging stations for electric vehicles across campus and looking into creating a new car share program with electric vehicles.