EAST LANSING, Mich. — A charging station that Michigan State University staff, faculty and students, as well as the general public, can use to re-charge their electric vehicles is now open for business on MSU’s campus.
The electric vehicle charging station, which is a collaborative effort with the Lansing Board of Water & Light, the MSU Physical Plant, MSU Office of Campus Sustainability, and MSU Residential and Hospitality Services, is located in the parking ramp of the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center, 55 S. Harrison Ave.
Installation of the station also was made possible by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.
“The DOE awarded our utility the appropriation so we could help reduce the barriers to plug-in electric vehicle ownership and charging both at home and at work,” said Kellee Christensen, manager of the BWL Plug-in Electric Vehicle Community Project.
“The installation of the electric vehicle charging station is yet another way MSU is working to reduce its environmental impact,” said Lynda Boomer, MSU energy and environmental engineer. “MSU and the BWL are on the leading edge of creating infrastructure for alternative fuel vehicles in the Lansing area.”
In addition to installing an easily accessible charging station, the project also will give university and utility officials a better idea of the charging habits of electric vehicle drivers.
MSU has several on-campus charging stations for university electric vehicles, but this is the first one designated for public use. Boomer said additional public-use stations will be installed in the future.
The cost of using the charging station is $2.50 per hour. It normally takes about four hours for an electric vehicle to charge. The $2.50 rate will cover parking fees, as well as initial installation and future maintenance costs.
For payment, the charging station is equipped to handle credit or debit cards.
For more information on MSU’s sustainability efforts, go here. And, for more information on electric vehicles in Michigan, visit this website.
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