By Mitchell Clarke
The first Victorian school to install an electric vehicle charge point is within the Shire.
Beaconhills College has launched the charging point as part of a pilot program, hoping to expand as their fleet and staff cars move towards electric vehicles.
Beaconhills College Headmaster Tony Sheumack said it is one of a range of sustainability initiatives the school has introduced to bring attention to climate change and reduce their carbon footprint.
“Our Sustainability Coordinator Jack Donkers explored electric vehicle charging options, ways in which we could reduce air pollution around our campuses and how to encourage the uptake of electric vehicles, both at the College and in the wider community,” Mr Sheumack said.
“The information the AURA generates will be used in the classroom to help students understand the benefits of electric vehicles and help them be more informed when purchasing a car in future.”
The dual port 22kW AURA charger from ChargeAmps can provide 40-100kms of battery-powered driving for every hour of charge.
The project came after the school partner with EVolution Australia to install the AURA charging station.
EVolution Australia director Russ Shepherd said they’re sure other schools will look to Beaconhills as a leader in this space.
“Our research shows that many families are putting off the purchase of their next car in order to wait for the release of new electric vehicles in 2019, such as the Tesla 3 and Nissan LEAF,” Mr Shepherd said.
“Transport accounts for the second largest source of greenhouse gas pollution in Australia, and emissions are projected to continue to grow up to 2030, so it’s vital to curb our use of traditional diesel and petrol vehicles as soon as possible.”
