January 28, 2011
Contact: Michelle Gaynier
Phone:  734.462.4412
             734.790.0679 (cell)
E-mail:  mgaynier@schoolcraft.edu

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Schoolcraft College is now home to four Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
LIVONIA, MI—Coulomb Technology, the world leader in electric vehicle charging station infrastructure, recently installed four ChargePoint Electric Vehicle Charging Stations on Schoolcraft College’s main campus in Livonia. Each station has the capacity to provide 120V Level 1 power or 240V Level 2 power, providing the potential for eight vehicles to be charging simultaneously on campus.
Use of the ChargePoint Charging Stations at Schoolcraft is free and open to the public. Users can can access the charging station with a credit card or a ChargePass card account. “Our location, especially our proximity to I-275, and significant traffic on our campus make us an attractive location for providing stations,” said Richard Weinkauf, Vice President of Instruction for Schoolcraft College. “We not only have thousands of students and hundreds of employees on our campus every day, we host a lot of outside groups for meetings and events at the VisTaTech Center throughout the year.”
The ChargePoint Network, which Schoolcraft is a part of, provides real-time information for electric vehicle users on availability of charging locations via the internet on a computer or mobile device. Once they are hooked up to a station, they can get immediate information on the charging status of their vehicle as well. For example, an employee of Schoolcraft or one of the many surrounding businesses could utilize one of the chargers for all or part of the workday and be fully charged and ready for their commute home at the end of the day. Or someone attending a workshop at the VisTaTech Center might want the option to top off their charge during a shorter visit to campus.
In addition to the college’s strategic location, Schoolcraft’s leadership role in supporting development of electric vehicle technology is another advantage. For the past two years the college has been the host site for the Michigan Electric Vehicle Show and Rally. The show features nearly 100 electric and hybrid vehicles of all shapes and sizes, from scooters to transport vans to pickup trucks, and passenger cars. This year’s event will be held on Saturday, June 11 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
“Our programs in electronic technology, metallurgy, welding and fabrication, and computer-aided design teach skills that are highly portable between sectors of the manufacturing industry,” said Weinkauf. “Events like the Electric Vehicle Show and Rally and new technologies like the Charging Stations demonstrate Schoolcraft College's committment to supporting the technology, electrification infrastructure and educational needs of Michigan's future.”  Building on the success of the existing manufacturing technology programs and knowledge the college has gained through partnerships with various local companies in the growing battery, hybrid and alternative fuel fields, Schoolcraft will be launching a new Battery Technology Certificate program this fall. “Schoolcraft is committed to being a partner building and investing in the electric transportation infrastructure, which includes appropriate training in new technologies,” said Weinkauf.
The ChargePoint charging stations were installed at Schoolcraft College as part of the Coulomb Technology’s ChargePoint America program. Plans for the program include installing 4,600 stations in nine regions of the United States by October 2011. The nine regions include Austin, TX; Los Angeles, CA; New York, NY; Orlando, FL; Sacramento, CA; San Jose/San Francisco, CA; Bellevue/Richmond, WA; Washington, DC; and Detroit. A $15 million federal grant will allow Coulomb Technologies to install the stations and work together with its distribution and industry partners to evaluate the demand in various locations for future planning. Schoolcraft’s stations are located in the N (North) Parking Lot at the first entrance off of Haggerty Road near the VisTaTech Center and in the center of campus in the C (Center) Parking Lot between the Bradner Library and the McDowell Center.
Schoolcraft College is a public two-year college, offering classes at the Livonia campus, Haggerty Road between Six and Seven Mile Roads, at the Radcliff Center in Garden City and online at schoolcraft.edu.