KENT, OHIO - Kent State University is greening up campus operations with eight Global Electric Motorcars (GEMs), according to the Daily Kent Stater.
The GEM electric vehicles are powered by a 72-volt absorbed glass mat battery pack with an on-board charger that can be plugged into a standard household 110-volt outlet. Charges may last three to six hours, depending on how long the batteries were discharged, according to the Stater.
The Design Solutions department, Campus Environment and Operations, and Fleet Services are just a few of the campus departments utilizing the vehicles. Officials said the electric vehicles are quiet, have low operational costs, little overall maintenance, and are easy to maneuver because of their size, reported the Stater.
Last fall, President Lester Lefton announced the formation of a task force for sustainability to help build upon current efforts and investigate new initiatives to go green.
Kent State University Goes Green with GEM Cars
KENT, OHIO - The university is greening up campus operations with eight Global Electric Motorcars (GEMs).
More Green Fleet

Startup ZMD Motors Developing Electric Conversion for Ram 5500 Work Trucks
Detroit-based company says it has begun early development of a system to convert internal combustion Ram 5500 chassis-cab trucks to electric power.
Read More →
MOVING ON FROM DEBATE: A Guide for Fleet Managers Who Just Want To Get Electrification Done
Fleet managers are done with the debate—and focused on execution. Learn how to build a practical electrification strategy that aligns infrastructure, operations, and financing while keeping costs controlled and deployment scalable with support from Blink Charging. Discover how smart planning today positions fleets for long-term performance and ROI.
Read More →
U.S. EV Adoption Is Climbing, but Commercial and Passenger Markets Diverge
New industry group data revealed that light-duty electric vehicle sales are hitting record market share and volumes, while commercial EV volume dipped. What’s driving the fluctuations?
Read More →
Hybrids: Electrification Without the Challenges
For fleet managers, fuel is one of the biggest line items in the budget — and it's one hybrids can shrink without changing how your people work. Download the eBook to see the numbers, understand the technology, and get a step-by-step guide to making the switch.
Read More →
How To Upfit Electric Work Trucks and Vans
The biggest challenge lies in balancing additional equipment and accessories with EV battery capacity and range.
Read More →
How Fleets Can Adjust Approaches To EV Adoption
With the expiration of federal incentives, EV success now hinges less on government policy and more on discounts, battery tech progress, increased range, and broader infrastructure.
Read More →
Despite World Troubles, Forward Thinking Guides Fleets
Fleet operators shared their challenges during an annual conference that embraced the latest advances across all aspects of running private- and public-sector vehicles.
Read More →
GM Energy Details Partnerships and Targets for Public Charging Build-Out
EVgo, Pilot, ChargePoint and IONNA named; goal is 35k GM-invested DC stalls by 2030, with customer-experience upgrades at sites.
Read More →
Q3 Electric Vehicles Sales Hit Record High
EV buyers took advantage of the final federal tax credit days, while average prices edged up for new EVs and continued to decline for used models.
Read More →
EV Sales Hit Record in Q3 Before Incentives Expire
But most OEMs record low-volume sales, which means EV profitability remains a distant dream for nearly every automaker.
Read More →