The University of Warwick is working with charge point operator Zest to install one of the UK’s largest university campus charging facilities.

The National Automotive Innovation Centre at the University of Warwick

The facilities will provide 173 electric vehicle charging spaces in car parks across the campus, serving staff, students and visitors.

Transport and mobility, including commuting, remains the largest contributor to Warwick’s carbon emissions. By encouraging the switch to electric vehicles, the facilities are projected to save more than 15,000 tonnes of CO2, equivalent to 69 million miles driven in a petrol car.

Zest is investing £1.3m over the 15-year agreement to provide and operate the charging facilities. There are no costs to the university.

The charging facilities support the university’s ambitions to place sustainability at the heart of its campus operations, research and education. Warwick is recognised for its excellence in transport and future mobility research. The university’s academics work with major industry and government to advise and develop green, clean modes of transport, and to trial the solutions on campus.

The campus is also home to the National Automotive Innovation Centre, a partnership between the University’s Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), Jaguar Land Rover, and Tata Motors European Technical Centre.

Islam Parvez, director of environmental sustainability at the University of Warwick, said: “Our goal is to reduce carbon emissions generated through all forms of transport and mobility, by providing greater choice and more sustainable forms of travel and opportunities to charge vehicles on campus.

“By working in partnership with Zest, we have been able to match our strong commitment to sustainability with real action. With charging spaces in the hundreds, drivers on campus will be reassured that switching to EV is a sustainable, desirable and convenient option.”

Robin Heap, CEO at Zest, said: “With its deep expertise in automotive research and development, we are not surprised that the University of Warwick is taking the lead with a large-scale deployment of EV infrastructure.

“By providing abundant charging facilities now, more drivers will be encouraged to switch, with all of the climate decarbonisation and air quality benefits that go with it. We’re excited to see their positive effects, both on driver behaviours and in stimulating new automotive research.”