Electric vehicles can be great for saving money on gas and for helping the environment! In California, driving an electric vehicle reduces GHG emissions by as much as 80% per mile traveled. UCI hosts fueling stations for electric vehicles in each of its four parking structures and several parking areas throughout campus.

UCI Discounts

EV charging payments contribute to the purchase, installation, and maintenance of the electric infrastructure. All charging stations on the UCI campus use the ChargePoint network and you must be a member of ChargePoint to use the EV chargers on campus. To join the ChargePoint network, click here. Once registered, use your smartphone to initiate a charging session. General public pricing is $2.50 per hour for Level 2 and $1.50 per hour for Level 1.

UCI faculty, staff, and students may charge at a rate discounted from the public rate ($2.00 per hour for level 2 and $1.00 per hour for Level 1). You will need to follow these simple steps to receive your UCI ChargePoint membership:

  • Log in at http://www.chargepoint.com/
  • Go to “Connections” on the upper right menu bar. It should take you to the “Find Connections Offer” page
  • Enter the number 987654 into the Connection code box and hit “Apply”
  • Put your mouse over the UCI Connection offer on the table to highlight the area, which brings up a box
  • Request a Connection
  • UCI Transportation will receive your request through ChargePoint and confirm your reduced-rate charging

For a map of the charging locations, click here.

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How to Charge at UCI

You may start a charging session by one of several methods: tapping your ChargePoint access card on the start screen, through the ChargePoint mobile app, or by calling driver support at the toll-free number listed on each ChargePoint station and on the back of your ChargePoint card. You may also start a charging session by tapping your RFID-enabled credit card on the ChargePoint start screen. Only sessions using a ChargePoint access card will receive the UCI discount.

Time Limit

Vehicles must be actively charging when parked in EV stalls. There is a maximum charging time of 4 hours at any level 2 charging station.

Parking Permit

When parking in a marked EV stall, a valid UCI parking permit is required at all times. Permit dispensers are located in the parking area near the stations.

Mobile EV Charging & Motorist Assistance   motorist-assistance

UCI is the 1st university to offer complimentary mobile electric vehicle charging! Stranded vehicles of UCI faculty, staff, students, and visitors will be provided with enough power to safely reach the nearest on-campus charging station.

Mobile electric vehicle charging is part of our VIP Service, a motorist assist program that is provided at no charge to all UCI affiliates and visitors. It is available daily, between 7 a.m. – 11 p.m., excluding campus holidays. Service limitations may apply. Call 949-824-VIPS (8477) for assistance.

History of EV Charging at UCI

Over 200 electric vehicle charging ports are open to the public and available in UCI’s parking lots 16, 1C, 70, Anteater Parking Structure, Mesa Parking Structure, Social Science Parking Structure, Student Center Parking Structure, East Campus Parking Structure, and at the UCI Medical Center.

In 2011, eight Level 1 & 2 ChargePoint charging stations were received through grants to foster the adoption and readiness of electric vehicle infrastructure throughout the United States. These grants were made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through the Transportation Electrification Initiative administered by the Department of Energy to accelerate the development and production of electric vehicles to substantially reduce petroleum consumption, reduce greenhouse gas production, and create jobs.

An additional 20 Level 2 electric vehicle charging stations that are part of the Irvine Smart Grid Demonstration Project were installed in the Anteater Parking Structure in 2013. This public-private partnership is led by Southern California Edison and the US Department of Energy. After being upgraded, these stations require activation by a ChargePoint access card or by calling the toll-free number found on the station. These stations were complimentary through the winter of 2016.

Six ChargePoint ports were installed in Lot 16 near Building 423 as of December 2014. These EV stations are part of a demonstration project, funded by the California Energy Commission and the South Coast Air Quality Management District, that examines how pricing affects charging behavior. Two ChargePoint ports are also located at the Public Services Building in Lot 1C.

In the spring of 2016, six additional ports were installed in the Social Science Parking Structure, and four were added to the Mesa Parking Structure to meet an increase in demand for Level 2 charging.

UCI received the Charge Ready Grant from Southern California Edison, and 26 ChargePoint charge stations with 24 ports were installed in January of 2018 in the East Campus Parking Structure. These Level 2 stations helped meet the growing demand from the UCI community, university fleet vehicles, and UCI’s all-electric shuttle buses.

In August of 2018, the second phase of Charge Ready installations took place with 10 ChargePoint stations opening in Lot 70, which included three Level 1 stations. The final installation, as part of Charge Ready, took place in June of 2019 with one station in Lot 16H and one station near UCI Facilities’ grounds department. Both charging stations provide Level 1 charging.

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