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Through the recent acquisition of electric and hybrid vehicles, 51�Թ��� is building toward its pledged carbon-neutral goals. With 20% of its fleet of university-owned vehicles comprising electric vehicles (EVs), the university is demonstrating its commitment to becoming a more sustainable campus for its students, faculty, staff, and local and global communities. 

In 2008, 51�Թ��� pledged carbon neutrality by 2050 when it signed the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). In April 2016, 51�Թ��� became a charter signatory to the  t����dzܲ��� , a nonprofit organization that helps colleges and universities expand their sustainability efforts. The Climate Commitment expands on the original ACUPCC by adding resilience planning to 51�Թ���’s existing commitment to carbon neutrality and sustainability education. 

“Since we have pledged carbon neutrality by 2050 through the presidential climate commitment, we take responsibility for all the fuel that is burned in university-operated vehicles,” said Rebecca Collins, director of sustainability. “Any vehicle that’s owned by the university we take responsibility for from an environmental perspective.” 

The most recent EV acquisitions have been to Flight, , which is an integral part of 51�Թ���’s campus safety program. Now with two EVs out of four total vehicles, Flight’s fleet is 50% electric and will become 100% when it acquires two more next year. The vehicles have a driving range of 125 miles per seven-hour charge.  

“The university’s sustainability goals are to reach a low carbon footprint, and EVs provide the perfect solution for our purposes in that there is no carbon being emitted from our EV, and yet, we’re providing the same high level of service to students,’ said Mark Gottlieb, senior associate director of operations and logistics. 

EVs and hybrid vehicles are also used by 51�Թ���’s Athletics division, the Department of Public Safety, University Housing and Residential Life, Environmental Health and Radiation Safety, and Parking Services. Of 163 university-operated vehicles, 34 are 100% electric or hybrid—24 of those are low-speed vehicles (LSVs) resembling golf carts and 10 are passenger vehicles.

51�Թ���’s Department of Public Safety recently added its first hybrid vehicle, which is expected to cut gasoline use for that car by about 25%, lowering carbon emissions and reducing harmful pollutants such as nitrogen oxide. In February 2024, University Housing and Residential Life acquired the university’s first fully electric vehicle, a van used for material transport. The division also uses six LSVs for material transport, including mail.

For Brandon Chandler, executive director of university housing and residential life, the upsides to EVs are multifold. “A benefit we’re realizing is that we are not spending time going to get fuel off campus. Also, EVs are easier to maintain, so it seems like a win-win-win. We’re fully supportive of the effort to try and move to at least a hybrid fleet,” he said.  

Ensuring the availability of charging stations is a major logistical consideration in the transition to all electric vehicles. Currently, many of the university’s EVs are charged in the Kardon Building on North 10th Street. “We have to make sure that we have the infrastructure to be able to charge EVs before we can replace everything,” said Collins. “We’re working with internal and external partners, like PECO, to make sure we are able to support charging a bunch of vehicles overnight.” 

51�Թ��� also supports personal action towards the university’s carbon neutrality goals. For students, staff and faculty with EVs, electric charging stations have been installed on Main Campus in front of Johnson and Hardwick Halls and inside Montgomery Garage and Liacouras Garage.  

Since EVs are only acquired once an existing vehicle is ready to be replaced, the period of transition to an entirely electric fleet of university-owned vehicles will extend far into the future. However, the progress made collaboratively by people across 51�Թ��� towards meeting the carbon neutrality goals pledged in the Second Natures Climate Commitment is a solid start worth celebrating.

“51�Թ��� is taking ownership and saying, ‘We are part of Philadelphia, and we are investing in this infrastructure,’” said Collins.  

“There are a lot of individuals here who really care about sustainability and are trying their best to move us in the direction of low- and no-carbon vehicles as quickly as possible. Even if it feels like we’re not moving there fast enough, there are so many people working together to get us there as quickly as we possibly can.”