Electric & High Efficiency Vehicles

High Efficiency Vehicle Parking

High Efficiency Vehicle (HEV) parking spaces were created on campus to meet certain requirements of LEED building projects.  The number of HEV parking spaces was calculated to achieve LEED certification points for these building projects. The goal is to encourage people to think about fuel efficiency and emissions when they drive and purchase cars.

The Zilkha Center has updated the HEV parking policy to better reflect the college’s sustainability goals and the growth in clean vehicles. Drivers/owners of vehicles that qualify for HEV parking and follow the instructions below can obtain a “High Efficiency Vehicle” sticker and are permitted to park in the designated spots.

A sign that says "permit required: high efficiency vehicle"
Once you have been issued your HEV parking sticker, you may park in designated HEV parking spaces around campus

To register your vehicle,

  • Check that your car meets the updated HEV policy;
  • Present the vehicle registration information to DeeDee Lewis at the ’66 Environmental Center, who will verify your vehicle is eligible and issue a HEV sticker;
  • Vehicles displaying this decal adjacent to the standard Williams parking permit are permitted to park in the preferred spaces.

EV Charging Stations

Williams has both designated HEV parking and EV parking/charging stations (see list below). You can also see the locations on an interactive map by following this link, or by visiting the ChargePoint website. Please note that on the campus map both HEV & EV stations are marked with the same symbol – click on the pin to see which are offered at that location. 

To use the EV charging stations, please sign up for a ChargePoint account and watch this video on how to use the stations.

  • ‘62 Center Parking Garage (upper deck) — 2 units: 3 Public spaces and 1 Public handicap space

    Chapman Rink — 1 unit: 2 Faculty/Staff only parking spaces

    Hollander Hall — 1 unit: 2 Faculty/Staff only parking spaces

    Sawyer Library — 1 unit: 2 Public parking spaces

    Spencer House — 1 unit: 2 Faculty/Staff only parking spaces

    Spring Street Lot — 1 unit: 2 Public parking spaces

    Williams Inn — 1 unit: 2 Public/ Patrons parking spaces

    Weston Field — 1 unit: 2 Public parking spaces

    **Facilities — 1 unit: 2 spaces EXCLUSIVELY for facilities vehicle use, strictly enforced

EV Use and Battery Care

We have put together some helpful tips on how to use and care for an electric vehicle.

EV Fun Facts

When charged using (mostly) green electricity, electric vehicles (EVs) produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change than conventional gas vehicles, and no tailpipe emissions. Although the vehicle’s battery adds to the initial environmental impacts, the use phase makes up for that in typically 1-3 years.

Did you know? 

  • 80% of the energy in an electric vehicle battery is transferred directly to powering the car, whereas in a combustion engine vehicle only 15% of the energy goes directly toward powering the car.
  • Gasoline vehicles are responsible for $37 billion in health and climate costs each year. If electric vehicles represent 65% of all vehicles in only 10 states by 2050, those costs would drop by $21 billion.
  • It’s cheaper to drive an EV. On average, the cost per mile to drive an electric car is approximately half the cost per mile for the average combustion engine car.
  • Switching to an electric vehicle can reduce your carbon footprint by up to 50%.