Recharging your Daily Commute
The Electric Garage Space
Description of usageThe Electric Garage is an important part of ChargeCar, where prototype electric car conversions and testing take place inside the building that is formerly the University Exxon gasoline station on Forbes Avenue. The parking space surrounding this building is part of the Electric Garage, and this document describes our usage policy for this space.
The single most important use of the Electric Garage apron is as an outreach space. ChargeCar is dedicated to direct community engagement in issues of sustainable transportation, and this space enables multiple types of specially organized events to be held in the heart of Oakland, including:
- Public outdoor film screenings on the outside of the garage building.
- Open House barbecues where the public is informed of local progress in transportation technology
- Invited lectures by guests able to inform the public regarding the electricity industry, the energy sector and the politics of EV's. Guests have included technical guests, documentary filmmakers and political representatives
- School tours of electric car facilities at the Electric Garage
In addition, we have formulated a parking vision for the Electric Garage apron consistent with the sense of community and sustainability. In order to encourage commuters to drive electric cars and use the public bus system, the Electric Garage has two important long-term goals. First, as electric vehicles - including plug-in hybrids - become available in the Pittsburgh region, whether or not they are built with ChargeCar technology, they will be able to park at the garage. Furthermore, we have won state funding that provides the capital to install eight Eaton high-speed charging systems at the Electric Garage. These will be available to the public, to establish an inviting place at Carnegie Mellon where anyone driving an electric vehicle can park, for free, and charge their car. In addition we have entered into an agreement with Zipcar to provide two cars at all times based at the Electric Garage. These cars will have special usage discounts for anyone who drives an electric car, providing EV owners with even more flexibility in planning longer-distance travels. The long term hope, therefore, is that the Electric Garage apron becomes a meaningful showcasing of ecologies for sustainable transportation, including the nearby bus stop, local discounted car-sharing and electric car recharging infrastructure.
While public electric cars will have priority over this apron space, its use for outreach events is limited to periodic and specially scheduled events. In the meantime, during days when the space is not required for public outreach we allow all members of the ChargeCar staff to park at the Electric Garage, as well as affiliated members of the CREATE Lab, home of ChargeCar. Carnegie Mellon parking enforcement coordinates with us in coverage of this space, and is effective in ensuring that unqualified commuters do not park at the Electric Garage, abusing the open nature of the space.
The EV chargers will be installed in the next few months, and during the first few months of 2012 I expect greater numbers of EV's to enter the Pittsburgh road system. As this occurs, non-electric parking at the Electric Garage will be reduced to ensure that there is always room for the EV's, car-share program and ongoing outreach activities.
In summary, the parking policy permits parking by (in order of priority)
- Two designated Zipcars;
- Attendees at outreach events at the Electric Garage;
- Electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles;
- Members of the ChargeCar team;
- Members of the CREATE Lab.