As the volume of personal vehicles on Arizona roadways continues to grow, cities must discover new ways to reduce traffic and promote alternative modes of transportation. Vehicle emissions are a leading cause of air pollution influencing climate change. Although electric vehicles (EVs) do not necessarily reduce traffic, they do offer the ability for drivers to decrease toxic emissions and lower noise pollution. EVs are suitable for corporate business travel. EVs may be the right choice for municipalities to consider for local travel needs, such as for meetings, routes, and deliveries. They enable cities to reduce their carbon footprint, lower maintenance costs and demonstrate an investment in more sustainable technologies. Many different types of organizations and companies are electrifying their fleets and experiencing positive results. The City of Glendale has identified an opportunity to jumpstart this transition as they examine new options for upgrading its existing fleet.
Students from SOS 324 Sustainable Energy, Technology and Systems researched EV charging stations. They examined current EV charging technologies and prospective locations for EV charging stations across Glendale. A common theme that emerged
from this research indicated that projects that provided a mutual benefit to the community and contracted businesses in the city tend to generate more possibilities to execute an effective transition.