It’s National Drive Electric Week, so where are the electric cars?

Not in Kentucky.

There were 3.98 million cars registered in Kentucky in 2017, and only 562 of those vehicles were electric, according to a Kentucky Transportation Cabinet document obtained through an open records request.

The situation in Warren County is similar. There were 20 electric vehicles out of 105,691 total cars registered in 2017.

“I didn’t know it was up to 20, I was up to 12,” said John Campbell, the operations manager for Western Kentucky University Public Radio, and electric vehicle owner. “Kentucky is definitely behind the times as far as EVs are concerned.”

Despite the neighborhood’s hesitation to plug-in, Western Kentucky University has taken a few steps to prepare for the foretold “electric car revolution.”

The university opened a new 700-space parking garage earlier this year that includes two electric vehicle charging stations – or actually one, because only a single vehicle can be charged at one time without tripping the circuit breaker, according to Campbell.

The motivation behind including EV charging stations was not by student request, but rather for earning a Parksmart Certification. That goal included sustainability efforts like using local labor and materials, efficient waste management, LED lighting and a design for durability, according to Jennifer Tougas, the director of parking and transportation services.

“It’s the parking world equivalent of a LEED Certification for a building,” Tougas said.

But no matter the motivation, Tougas said the university is preparing for the eventual transition to quiet roadways.

“What this does is put the infrastructure in place,” Tougas said. “The technology is improving rapidly. We’re supporting that effort by providing a charging station on campus.”

This isn’t the first time WKU embraced gas-free driving.

Back in 2011, former WKU President Gary Ransdell, a man known for spearheading green initiatives, became the first person in Bowling Green to lease a Chevrolet Volt, a plug-in hybrid vehicle that now sits in current President Timothy Caboni’s garage.

Seven years later, there aren’t too many people who followed.

Tougas said she sees electric vehicles at WKU’s Parking Structure 3, “pretty often.” But she was unable to quantify how often, or how many electric vehicles there actually are on campus.

“It’s possible that students are using them,” Tougas said, but “I know the number is low.”

Campbell drives a Nissan Leaf – his second electric vehicle – and was thrilled when WKU added charging capability on campus, as there are very few public stations in Bowling Green.

In addition to WKU’s electric vehicle charging station, there are three stations for guests at the hotels Courtyard by Marriott, Hotel SYNC and Hilton Garden Inn, three stations are at car dealerships and there are three other options at KOA Bowling Green campground – for $10 a charge – the Lovers Lane Soccer Complex and Covington Woods Park. There is also a 24-7 Bowling Green Supercharger for Teslas, according to Evolve KY, a nonprofit that helps install and track public EV chargers.

But none of those are particularly useful to Campbell.

“Having a charging station in the (university) parking structure is very helpful,” he said.

This year, Campbell said he has noticed a few new EVs on campus.

And Tougas said several EV-driving campus visitors have found the charging station – even though the electric charging station isn’t advertised at WKU, or on the university website.