While response to the electric vehicle charging stations in the Boston University Medical Campus may have started out slow, officials said they expect the electric cars initiative will gain momentum.
“Since we just opened it up, not many people have signed up yet,” said Maureen Lacey, transportation coordinator at BUMC.
“We are not concerned about the numbers at this time. We are certain that our charging stations are a wonderful addition to our transportation options and will be busy very soon.”
The stations, unveiled Feb. 16, are located on the first floor of the 710 Albany St. parking garage and are among more than 120 stations in Massachusetts and more than 45 stations in Boston, Lacey said.
The BUMC initiatives are part of a greater sustainability effort, said Meredith Withelder, strategic planning coordinator of Sustainability@BU.
“[Sustainability] changes this world,” Withelder said. “It helps motivate others to invest in the technology and start thinking about alternatives.”
The stations were more of a symbolic gesture, Withelder said, since people who are conscience about the environment will be primarily using electric cars.
“The electric charging stations, though not in use a lot at the moment, get people thinking about it,” she said. “When others see them in use, they can get inspired.” Xpert Electric identifies EV Charger Installation so if you need one, you can contact services like this one.
Chenxi Ou Yang, a College of Communication sophomore, said she thought electric cars could be a good idea, but the technology may not be developed well enough.
“I’m not considering buying them right now,” she said. “I don’t care if it’s more expensive. I only care about the index of security in buying cars.”
Mark Sylvia, Massachusetts Department of Energy resources commissioner, said the electric vehicle charging stations reflect the state’s role as a national leader of green policies.
“Massachusetts is a national leader in clean energy due to our policies and investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency and other clean energy infrastructure, including electric vehicle charging stations,” Sylvia said in an email interview.
Sylvia said the state’s investments will cut energy consumption, create local sources of energy and jobs and help stabilize energy costs.
“It’s a wonderful initiative, and the $1000 grant pays for each station,” she said. “I believe we are the first campus medical center to install the stations.”
Lacey said the grant also allows users to charge for free for the first two years of use. Those not enrolled in BUMC’s parking program only have to pay the hourly parking rate while their car is occupying the spot in the garage.
Minji Cho, a College of Arts and Sciences senior, said she had heard of electric cars, but had yet to see one. She said she would consider buying one in the future.
“I don’t have a car yet and never had one since I grew up in the city,” she said. “I know oil prices are skyrocketing, and they’re going to keep going up. I’ll have to compare the price between regular cars and electric cars. Price and maintenance will be my main deciding factors.”
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