Work has started on the build of what will be one of the UK’s largest university campus charging facilities.
The University of Warwick is working with B Corp-certified investor-operator Zest to provide 173 electric vehicle (EV) charging spaces in car parks across the campus.
As a result, the facilities, which will serve staff, students and visitors, are projected to save more than 15,000 tonnes of CO2, equivalent to 69 million miles driven in a petrol car.
According to the university, transport and mobility, including commuting, remains the largest contributor to Warwick’s carbon emissions.
Zest is investing £1.3m over a 15-year agreement to provide and operate the charging facilities, at no cost to the university.
Parvez Islam, director of environmental sustainability at the University of Warwick, said: “Our goal is to reduce carbon emissions generated through all forms of transport and mobility, by providing greater choice and more sustainable forms of travel and opportunities to charge vehicles on campus.
“By working in partnership with Zest, we have been able to match our strong commitment to sustainability with real action. With charging spaces in the hundreds, drivers on campus will be reassured that switching to EV is a sustainable, desirable and convenient option.”
This project is owned by Warwick’s Estates team working in collaboration with university academics.
The campus is also home to the National Automotive Innovation Centre, a partnership between the university’s Warwick Manufacturing Group, Jaguar Land Rover and Tata Motors European Technical Centre.
Achievements and innovations in EV charging infrastructure will be celebrated at the third annual CiTTi Awards, which will be held on 26 November 2024 at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Nominations are open now! Please visit www.cittiawards.co.uk to learn more about this unmissable event for the UK’s transportation sector.
