Authored by Thomas Duke, Universities Market Lead
Universities across the country are embracing the call to reduce emissions, respond to student and faculty demand for more sustainable campuses, and enhance the overall campus experience. One of the most effective ways to achieve these goals is by transitioning campus fleets to zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), thus creating cleaner, quieter, and more resilient transportation on campus.
Successfully transitioning to a zero-emission fleet requires systematic planning, careful assessment, and strategic implementation. Drawing on CTE’s proven methodologies and lessons learned from hundreds of successful ZEV deployments, below are the key phases involved in developing a robust and resilient ZEV transition plan for your campus.
Phase 1: Defining Your Objectives
A successful transition is built on a comprehensive plan, not just a vehicle purchase order. The initial planning phase is about building the administrative framework and defining the core objectives that will guide every subsequent decision. Your objectives might include:
- Meeting institutional sustainability mandates
- Developing a skilled ZEV workforce
- Improving the campus experience with quiet, zero-emission vehicles
Phase 2: Requirements & Data Collection
Building a successful zero-emission fleet starts with a clear understanding of current operations. This phase focuses on gathering and organizing data like fuel use, mileage, routes, and maintenance records to build a clear picture of your operations.
Phase 3: Service, Fleet, and Fuel Assessments
Using your fleet data, you can then determine if today’s ZEVs can meet your most demanding service requirements. This analysis accounts for variables like topography, passenger loads, and climate, as range can degrade under adverse operating conditions. It answers the fundamental question: can a ZEV fleet feasibly perform the same operations as the current fleet? If battery electric or fuel cell electric technologies do not meet the requirements of some of the more difficult duty cycles, a hybrid electric drive system may provide a practical technology bridge. Using the results of this assessment, you can create a schedule for the replacement of vehicles with ZEVs that allows for a measured approach to transition over time. This schedule can be used as the basis for estimating capital requirements and the impact on operating costs.
Phase 4: Facilities Assessment
This phase translates your fleet and energy requirements into an assessment of fueling infrastructure, i.e., charging stations for battery electric vehicles or hydrogen fueling stations for fuel cell electric vehicles. Infrastructure may be scaled up to match the ZEV procurement schedule. Installing new infrastructure on campuses with historic buildings and complex utilities also requires careful planning.
Phase 5: Maintenance & Workforce Development
A ZEV transition is as much about people as it is about technology. This phase focuses on training and supporting your workforce as they move from maintaining traditional engines to working with electric and hydrogen systems. You may also want to consider the benefits of lower maintenance costs and the impact on operations.
Bringing it all Together
Safety and stakeholder engagement are central throughout every phase. Successful campus transitions bring together facilities, transportation, sustainability, finance, risk management, and academic partners to create a strong foundation of support. Understanding the transitional capital and operating costs for vehicles, infrastructure, fuel, and maintenance will establish a total cost of ownership for the program.
By breaking the process into clear steps and leaning on experienced partners like CTE, universities can move toward a cleaner, quieter, and more resilient future — while creating new opportunities for students, staff, and the surrounding community.
Ready to start your transition? CTE is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping universities achieve their zero-emission goals.
Contact: Thomas Duke | Universities Market Lead | [email protected]
Watch CTE’s webinar Scaling Zero Emissions on Campus: Key Insights for University Fleet Transition anytime, on demand.
