Two recent developments have boosted hybrid and electric vehicle use at Southern Oregon University (SOU): the addition of two gasoline-electric hybrid pickup trucks to the university’s fleet of vehicles, and the completion of two new, dual electric vehicle charging stations to serve residents of Student and Family Housing.
The new hybrid Ford Maverick trucks have replaced a pair of conventional Ford Ranger pickups that were due to be rotated out of SOU’s vehicle fleet. The hybrids were considered the most sustainable pickup trucks currently available, and so far are averaging 38 combined miles per gallon – an improvement of about 75 percent over the 10 miles per gallon average of the earlier pickups.
The university is also in the process of procuring an electric vehicle for its fleet.
