Denison Magazine
Content Body
Denison just got a little greener. Thanks to Chase King ‘25 and Colin Ravin ‘25, and alum Chris Wolfington ’90, Denison’s first electric car, a Chevy Bolt, has arrived on campus.
The Bolt is the newest member of the campus fleet, a squad of sedans and vans that students, faculty, and staff can reserve to travel off campus for academic or co-curricular activities*. With 250 miles-per-charge, the Bolt can make runs to the airport to pick up speakers, trips to tutor elementary students for America Reads, travel to other campuses for club sport tournaments, and more. (Students who want to rent a car for personal off campus use can use the low cost and sustainable CarShare program.)
Over the course of this semester, Chase and Colin will study the Bolt’s usage through advanced telemetrics. Chris Wolfington, who consults with corporations to transition their fleets to electric, will continue to work with them to help build a case for how Denison make a similar transition. Wolfington is the owner of Ground Truth Energy, which provides comprehensive fleet electrification solutions to companies.
The Bolt is part of Denison’s strategy to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2045. The campus fleet accounts for 2-3% of our annual carbon footprint, electrifying our fleet is another step to reduce our carbon impact. Read Denison’s overall strategy to address climate change in its new 2023 Sustainability & Climate Action Plan.
*All drivers of Denison University owned, leased, or rented vehicles (including golf carts) are required to successfully complete the Defensive Driving Course and pass a motor vehicle records check to ensure the safety of our students, faculty, staff, and vehicles.
February 14, 2023
