CHICAGO HEIGHTS—(ENEWSPF)—June 12, 2014. The Illinois Green Economy Network’s (IGEN) Electric Vehicle Road Trip travelers will make a stop at the Prairie State College (PSC) charging stations at 9:45 a.m., Wednesday, June 25, as part of a 450-mile relay to increase awareness of electric vehicle (EV) technology. The two PSC charging stations are located at the rear of the Tech Wing located on the college’s main campus at 202 S. Halsted St. in Chicago Heights.
Several community and business leaders will make remarks during the stop, which, according to IGEN, is part of a statewide effort to demonstrate the progress of the Illinois Community Colleges strengthening EV infrastructure, to promote further deployment of EV infrastructure, and to raise awareness about EV technology and the environmental issues that necessitate a move to a more sustainable transportation infrastructure.
Eleven community colleges with EV charging stations, plus the Governor’s Mansion in Springfield, are on the route, which extends from the southernmost “charged” community college – John A. Logan College in Carterville – to the northernmost “charged” community college – College of Lake County in Grayslake. The trip will take three days with a crew of two to four people that will rotate in and out of the car at strategic stops along the way. The car will be staffed by community college sustainability professionals, students, and/or IGEN staff.
The goal of the event is to ease the fears of potential EV consumers.
“The electric vehicle has come a long way in just the last five years, but even as sales rise, some pesky problems persist,” said L&C Director of Sustainability Nate Keener, lead organizer for the event. “Range anxiety and battery concerns, for example, continue to plague the mind of the potential electronic vehicle consumer. The fear of running out of charge and being stuck without a place to recharge keeps many people from purchasing. With this trip, we hope to chase away some of those fears and show that it actually is possible to drive great distances in electric and hybrid vehicles.”
PSC President Dr. Terri L. Winfree says the school is honored to be a part of the road trip.
“At PSC, we are committed to improving and protecting the environment while promoting fiscal and social responsibility. The EV charging stations on campus are just one of the many ways we are educating students and the broader community about pressures on the global and local environment, increasing awareness of and educating for the green economy, and addressing social issues in our community to ensure a quality of life for future generations that is greater than the present.”
For more information about the EV road trip or other sustainability efforts at PSC, contact Allessandra Cairo, sustainability coordinator at PSC, at (709) 709-3764 or email [email protected].
Source: prairiestate.edu
