WCU will hold electric vehicle expo on Friday

Solar powered electric vehicle charger in the Reid parking lot. being installed in May, 2017 Photo provided by SEI.

Reporter is a member of the Sustainable Energy Initiative Committee.

The Sustainable Energy Initiative Committee (SEI) will be hosting an electric vehicle expo in the Reid Metered Lot on Friday, Oct. 6, from 11:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

“This is going to be a great event for students and faculty to attend to learn about the sustainability efforts on campus,” said Eliza Hurst, Vice Chair of the SEI.

The Blue Ridge Electric Vehicle club will be providing several electric vehicles to demonstrate the new solar electric vehicle charging station that was installed in the parking lot behind the Reid Gymnasium earlier this year. Guests will be able to watch the new self-driving Tesla in action, as well as several other electric vehicle makes and models. They will also be able to grab lunch from the P.O.D. food truck and entered into several free giveaways.

The solar electric vehicle charging station project was funded by the SEI in the fall of 2016 and is able to charge three vehicles at one time. Before the charging station was built, only a small amount of students and faculty owned electric vehicles.  The SEI committee is optimistic that the presence of the charger will bring more interest and attract future students, faculty and staff. For more information on SEI’s other ongoing projects, click here.

According to Hurst, UberLand of Sky Clean Vehicles Coalition, Brightfield Transportation Solutions and WCU’s Eco Cats will also be participating in the event.