Earlham College adds EV charging infrastructure in latest move toward environmental sustainability

Earlham College’s Center for Environmental Leadership is reinforcing its commitment to sustainability by adding electric vehicle charging infrastructure on campus, providing greater access to clean transportation options while engaging students in hands-on environmental leadership.

Two new chargers have been installed on campus at the north side of the parking lot off Jones House Road near the Office of Human Resources and Public Safety. Earlham employees get a discounted rate — 25 cents per kilowatt-hour — while other users will pay 40 cents per kilowatt-hour.

The new electric vehicle stations are just the latest sustainability initiatives underway on campus, including a Climate Action Plan (CAP) with a goal for carbon neutrality by 2042. 

Plans in place to reduce carbon emissions at Earlham include investing in and transitioning to renewable energy wherever possible on campus, reconsidering how space is used, and phasing out our current heating and cooling systems for ones that are better for the environment. Earlham’s Student Sustainability Corps, an outdoor education program, and Miller Farm, a sustainable agriculture program, also support the College’s environmental goals.

By acting on the college’s environmental impact and commitment, the Climate Action Plan could result in $1 million of savings for Earlham over the life of the plan, compared to the cost of inaction.

“We are working to chip away at our carbon emissions in several ways,” says Jamey Pavey, director of the Center for Environmental Leadership. “We do report on the commuting behavior of faculty, staff, and students, so having more people with EVs would help from that standpoint. I also see it as a way for the College to make a statement about our commitment to environmentalism.

“Having the chargers opens up possibilities for people who maybe were thinking about an EV but couldn’t justify it if they couldn’t charge it at work,” she adds. “This could also become a good learning experience for students on the back end.” 

Students in the Center for Environmental Leadership will be involved with monitoring usage and regional trends in charging fees. 

“Our ultimate hope is that the two chargers will get so much use that we’ll need to install more,” says Pavey.

The Level 2, 11 kilo-watt charging stations are capable of recharging batteries by 80 percent within 6-8 hours depending on the size and model.

With limited options outside of campus for charging up — options in Richmond include Meijer, Warm Glow, Home 2 Suites hotel, and Cronin Toyota — the chargers are a welcome addition to campus.

“I think it opens up people’s ability to consider buying an electric vehicle,” says Thea Clarkberg, Earlham’s assistant director of admissions, who owns a hybrid electric vehicle and is excited to see the chargers pop up on campus. “Buying an electric car is kind of taking a chance on or betting that the environment you’re in will make it possible to have the charger needed for your car. It’s also an investment in our future as a planet. Hopefully more Earlham employees will see that we have this and may consider buying one, whereas before the inconvenience of having to go somewhere else to charge may have been a deciding factor in that purchase choice. I know we’ve had parents and students ask about it.”

Pavey concurs, explaining that it was questions from parents and students that ultimately drove her to pursue this passion project to completion.

To charge, simply connect the charger, then scan the QR code that appears on the screen at the charging station. Users will need to register upon first use, and need to utilize the ChargeLab app to work the station.

Chargers were funded through Earlham’s Evans, Johnson, Nicholson Endowment Fund.

 “I hope it brings the community to campus more,” says Pavey. “Richmond does not have a lot of chargers, especially on the west side of town. I know some folks will start to use these chargers, and hopefully they’ll explore campus while they’re waiting on their car to charge.”

For more information reach out to Jamey Pavey at [email protected]

Story by Jay Kibble, writer/editor for Earlham’s Office of Marketing and Communications.

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About Earlham College 

Earlham College and Earlham School of Religion foster a collaborative learning community that inspires and motivates students with transformative opportunities and experiences so they can become catalysts for good in a changing world. Located in Richmond, Indiana, Earlham is one of U.S. News & World Report’s Top 100 national liberal arts colleges and offers one of the top 20 classroom experiences in the nation, according to the Princeton Review.