Location Makes Bakersfield California a Prime Location to Add Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Stations
Sitting at the bottom of California’s Central Valley, Bakersfield provides a central location to San Francisco, Sacramento, San Diego and Las Vegas. From Bakersfield, travelers can be in any of these cities in around four hours, about 250 miles of travel, and in Los Angeles in about half the time.
This makes Bakersfield California a prime location to add Electric Vehicle (EV) charging locations for all manufacturers. Bakersfield Kern Superintendent of Schools currently owns and operates one of the largest public CNG refueling stations in the state and continues to look at adding alternative fuels including EV charging stations.
The Bakersfield College Automotive Technology department recognizes the need to advance and redevelop the automotive training program and curriculum to represent the need for trained automotive technicians in the realm of Electric, CNG, LNG, and low or zero emissions vehicles. This is a very expensive and time-demanding change for any school to do alone.
Liz Rozell, Dean of Instruction, BS Degree Program in Industrial Automation, Engineering and Industrial Technology Department and Andrew Haney, Automotive Instructor Automotive Technology
In partnership with the Advanced Transportation and Renewable Energy (ATRE) Sector, the California Energy Commission has awarded Bakersfield College funding that will help in the development of these courses.
The largest addition to the program will be a new 2017 Chevrolet Bolt all electric vehicle and the manufacturer diagnostic scan tools that this funding will enable the college to purchase. This will allow Bakersfield College to continue expanding and developing ASE Advanced Level (L3) training for students.
Andrew Haney, Bakersfield College Automotive Instructor, is looking forward to implementing these program improvements.
“By changing the courses and the level of training at Bakersfield College, students are prepared to enter the workforce in the Bakersfield market with a deeper knowledge of these new technologies,” said Haney. “We are excited to work with ATRE and the funding they have provided the college. This will go a long way in developing our program courses for future needs in changing technologies.”
