Drake University added five new fully electric vans to their fleet this week, which will be used by maintenance and other technicians throughout campus. 

Colin Atkinson, the Assistant Director of Facilities Planning and Management, said that he is excited to add these vans to their fleet while continuing to prioritize sustainability within their department. 

“The electric vans are used by our technicians (Maintenance, Electricians, HVAC, Plumber) to drive to and from jobs and to transport materials and supplies to various job sites on campus,” Atkinson said. “The vehicles will allow our department to continue advancing and promoting sustainability efforts on campus, will reduce the overall maintenance costs to our fleet, and help reduce our carbon footprint going forward.” 

These vans are the first 100 percent electric vehicles within the FPM fleet, not including the electric golf carts used by the grounds team, Atkinson said. There are a total of 25 vehicles in this fleet; campus-wide, there are around 44 vehicles. 

The new e-vans are going to provide lower maintenance costs, as much as 40 percent less than gasoline-powered vans, according to an OnCampus post from Facilities director Kevin Moran. They are also certified as zero-tailpipe emission vehicles, and their batteries provide 126 miles of range per charge. 

Drake University is planning on replacing non-electric vehicles with electric models as they age out, Atkinson said.