Plugged in: University of Michigan installs 6 charging stations for electric cars
University of Michigan has installed six charging stations for electric cars.
A Chevy Volt is charged at one of the university's new electric-vehicle charging stations, near the corner of Hoover and Greene streets.
University of Michigan photo
The new stations, installed earlier this fall, accommodate charging equipment up to 240 volts.
They add to the growing number of electric car outlets in the city. This summer, the city introduced 18 charging stations at six public parking locations downtown.
According to an article in Concentrate Media, the charging stations cost $28,865 and were funded by a U.S. Department of Energy grant administered by the Clean Energy Coalition.
The city stations cost roughly $110,000 and also were funded by a DOE grant.
The U-M stations are located at:
- A parking lot at the corner of Hoover and Greene streets
- In the Ann Street parking structure near the medical campus
- At the Murfin Street lot on north campus
Kellie Woodhouse covers higher education for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at kelliewoodhouse@annarbor.com or 734-623-4602 and follow her on twitter.
Comments
LXIX
Fri, Nov 30, 2012 : 11:52 p.m.
Here's the relevant plug (in) for When you go holiday shopping for your UM sports fan (maybe to get their free vip football parking space after the UM updates its charge station policy) (and pictures your car on East Coast Football TV to show how advanced the Midwest Schools are) or they might also work at most DDA charge stations (Library) while you work/play downtown hybrid cars are both fuel and electric * the federal rebate based on battery size reduces all below to about $30k * honda accord 100mpge $40,570 * chevy volt 94mpge $39,999 * ford fusion energy 100mpge $39,495 * ford c-max energi 100mpge $33,475 * toyota prius c 95mpge $32,795 all-electric cars (some) Honda fit ev 118mpge $29,125 after rebates Mitsubishi Miev 112mpge $21,625 after rebates Nissan leaf sv 106mpge $27,700 after rebates Ford focus ev 105mpge $31,500 after rebates Tesla S 89mpge $59,900 base price Other free parking offers may appear some day - just ask your DDA for discounts. mpge is the equivalent mpg cost to run (improves with free UM/City charging).
Ron Granger
Fri, Nov 30, 2012 : 9:25 p.m.
For electric cars to become viable, a market must be created and maintained. Just like the government creates and subsidizes a market for commercial air travel, highways, sidewalks, milk, or countless other important products and services. We are running out of dead dinosaurs.
Dog Guy
Sat, Dec 1, 2012 : 5:05 a.m.
Unlike coal, natural gas and petroleum are abiogenic--not dead anything. Earth continues to make and release them.
Basic Bob
Sat, Dec 1, 2012 : 4:14 a.m.
Electricity is also generated from dino fuel - COAL. Get comfortable with nukes, soon those will be the only way to power your "green" vehicle.
Richard Lindsay
Fri, Nov 30, 2012 : 7:02 p.m.
Just to make sure facts are known.... UM parking spaces require you pay usual parking fees such as Visitor metered or have a UM Staff Permit ( not free either ) Then you must also pay for the use of the charging station. One of these showed up near my building and has seen some regular use. There have been tickets also issued just as in any other parking space... SO I am sure these could pay for themselves quickly even if they are not subsadized initially.
LXIX
Fri, Nov 30, 2012 : 8:30 p.m.
Well that blows. For a moment I thought there was an initelligent investment being made by leadership to accelerate the rescue effort of their own planet. Ha! My stupid.
LXIX
Fri, Nov 30, 2012 : 6:53 p.m.
Beautiful ! A free football parking space and a charged car while enjoying the big game. Maybe the all of the other prime spots near City Hall, the theatres, shopping, and the hospital should be converted too! Pssst. Hey Doc, wanna buy a new car - complete with prime parking? Where's my Tesla?
Top Cat
Fri, Nov 30, 2012 : 6:28 p.m.
And students wonder why their tuition is so high...one more example!
harry b
Fri, Nov 30, 2012 : 6:12 p.m.
Why does my tax dollars go to pay for someone to fuel their car? I wonder whose hand was greased. With the amount of money Obama has given these solar/battery companies just so they can give raises and then bankrupt, I would say it goes pretty high.
Atticus F.
Fri, Nov 30, 2012 : 9:58 p.m.
harry b, I made the comparison to the VCR in the sense that the cost of research is offset after repeated sales (regardless of who pays for the research). I'm sorry if you were unable to understand what I meant. As far as giving corporations a free license to drain Americans of their natural resourses, then send us a bill, I think we gave our answer to that via the last election. Sorry you dont agree with the majority of Americans. One thing so many people on the right fail to understand, is that some things are needed by society (a cure for cancer, education for people who cant afford it, independence from foreign oil, ect...) that will go unattended because there is no profit in it.
harry b
Fri, Nov 30, 2012 : 9:26 p.m.
Atticus The government did not fund the VCR. Good old capitalism took care of that. Free us from foriegn oil? How about we drill in the US. We are sitting on the worlds largest oil reserve. 200 BILLION BARRELS!!! There is no need to spend my tax money funding this. If it is profitable capitalism will take care of that. http://politicalvelcraft.org/2011/03/05/united-states-sitting-on-worlds-largest-untapped-oil-reserve-forget-the-libya-diversion-say-no-to-rothschilds-obama/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_reserves_in_the_United_States http://www.nextenergynews.com/news1/next-energy-news2.13s.html
Atticus F.
Fri, Nov 30, 2012 : 8:34 p.m.
Craig lounsberry, The fact that government subsidizes these machines, in part contributes to the R&D that might help free us from foriegn oil. Also, government funding might also contribute to the R&d that could make these vehicles more affordable to the average person sometime in the future. It's important to note that the reason new technology is so expensive, is that we need to pay highly educated people to do reasearch work. A perfect example would be the cost of A vcr IN 1981 WAS ABOUT $2000, IT THEN DROPPED TO A PRICE OF AROUND $200 SEVERAL YEARS LATER.
Craig Lounsbury
Fri, Nov 30, 2012 : 7:30 p.m.
bhall, who paid for the sidewalk you walk past the gas station on? not to mention at the gas station the guy filling his car with gas has direct out of pocket expense right there on the spot. Not so with the guy plugging his car in to an un-metered "free" source. Atticus F. How does free electricity for a rich guy better society? Will there be trickle down where i can get a discount on a couple AAA batteries for my flashlight? If giving free electricity to domeone driving a 40,000 car helps society how much do I need to make before tax payers paying my cell phone bill also helps society. Its hard for me to follow.
Atticus F.
Fri, Nov 30, 2012 : 6:44 p.m.
The answer to your question: For the same reason we have the cell phone, GPS, internet, many treatments for cancer, ect.. Becuase we elect officials to spend our money in a way that might better our society. This concept shouldn't be very hard to follow... but for some it is.
bhall
Fri, Nov 30, 2012 : 6:40 p.m.
"Why does my tax dollars go to pay for someone to fuel their car" I ask that same question every time I walk by a gas station!
Craig Lounsbury
Fri, Nov 30, 2012 : 5:55 p.m.
I'd like to get some free electricity too, but i don't make enough money to afford one of those expensive cars.
a2citizen
Fri, Nov 30, 2012 : 9:09 p.m.
Henry Ford also designed the original Model T to run on ethanol.
Ron Granger
Fri, Nov 30, 2012 : 8:40 p.m.
Henry Ford would have just converted an existing chassis. Many people are doing that. This is the midwest. We're expected to have skills. And access to a garage.
Craig Lounsbury
Fri, Nov 30, 2012 : 5:48 p.m.
According to an article in Concentrate Media, the charging stations cost $28,865 ...... The city stations cost roughly $110,000 .... what am I missing?
Craig Lounsbury
Fri, Nov 30, 2012 : 6:04 p.m.
So if I hit the buttons right on my calculator the city paid $1300 per station more than the University? Even though the city bought 3 times as many?
Kellie Woodhouse
Fri, Nov 30, 2012 : 5:56 p.m.
Yes, exactly. That's the total cost.
Craig Lounsbury
Fri, Nov 30, 2012 : 5:50 p.m.
I assume that is the total cost, not the per station cost?