The City of Seward hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate two new electric cars and two new charging stations purchased with a grant from the Electric Transportation Partners of Nebraska. Pictured are, from left: (front row) Seward City Councilmember Charles Lieske; City Councilmember Dick Hans; Mayor Josh Eickmeier; Mark Brohman, the director of the Nebraska Environmental Trust; Mahmoud Alahmad, an associate professor of architectural engineering for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Seward’s Public Facilities/Capital Improvements and GIS Director John Hughes; and Anne McCollister, the owner of Electric Transportation Partners; and (back row) Seward’s Permit Technician Brandon Wood and Electrical Superintendent Larry Ruether.
This story has been edited April 2, 2015, at 1:37 PM
Seward is one of nine Nebraska cities to take advantage of a grant provided by the Nebraska Environmental Trust,
This grant allowed the city of Seward to purchase two new electrical cars and install two new charging stations.
“This is a multi-faceted benefit to the city,” Mayor Josh Eickmeier said.
These benefits include modernizing the city’s fleet of vehicles and making it more efficient as well as introducing the technology to the community.
According to Mahmoud Alahmad, an associate professor who teaches electrical engineering in the architectural and engineering department at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, once the infrastructure for electric cars is in place, people are more likely to adopt their use.
“Having the cities lead by providing infrastructure, that’s how you promote the public to use electric cars,” Alahmad said.
Economically, Alahmad said if gas were priced around $3.60, using electric cars can save around $1,600 each year.
As far as environmental benefits, Alahmad said that Nebraska had 750,000 light passenger cars in 2012. If 10 percent of these cars were replaced with electric cars, carbon dioxide emissions would be reduced by six percent.
Anne McCollister, the owner of Electric Transportation Partners of Nebraska, said in-town charging stations give electric car owners a reassurance that they can re-charge their cars at home or in the city.
When it comes to building this infrastructure and applying for grants, McCollister said each city has to decide for themselves if or when they want electric cars and charging stations.
“When that city is ready to participate, they will,” McCollister said.
