Charging stations for electric vehicles make debut on campus

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Photo courtesy of Charger Bulletin/Matthew Mowerson.

One of the ChargePoint Stations on campus, West Haven, Jan. 26, 2023.

In an email sent out on Jan. 23, Associate Vice President of Facilities Louis Annino announced that the electric vehicle charging stations which have been under construction since before winter break are finally available for use to all members of the University of New Haven community “who have made their own commitment to sustainability by driving electric-powered vehicles.”

Instructions to access the charging stations are detailed in the email, guiding students how to download the ChargePoint app and create an account, entering the code “UNH1920” under the “connections” tab and filling out your name, license plate and university ID number.

These charging stations are designated as level two electric vehicle charging stations, meaning they are capable of charging between 12 and 80 miles per hour according to Forbes Wheels. The university’s charging service is being offered free of cost, although you will need to submit a payment method when making your account.

There are currently eight charging stations, located across two locations on campus, with plans to create more stations in the future. One location is next to Celentano Hall in the parking spots beside the dumpsters facing Dunham Hall. The other can be found behind the Beckerman Recreation Center in the parking lot facing Bergami Hall.

Those who choose to use these stations are allotted four hours to charge their vehicles, after which they will be charged five dollars for every extra hour they remain in use. According to Annino, this is meant to “encourage sharing of the charging stations and to ensure ample availability to all users,” citing that four hours is “more than sufficient to fully charge your vehicle.”

Annino did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

To learn more about the initiative, feel free to contact the University’s director of energy and sustainability Laura Miller, reachable by email at [email protected].