AAA President/CEO Tom Chestnut and AAA Car Care Plus Director Mike Zyglis charge a new 2012 Nissan Leaf

BUFFALO, N.Y., December 1, 2011 — Today the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. (BNMC) and its partners unveil 21 electric vehicle charging stations installed across the Medical Campus and announce two additional stations located at AAA Car Care Plus in Amherst and Clarence. This project is a joint effort between BNMC, AAA Western & Central New York, National Grid, Clean Communities of Western NY, NYSERDA, and the U.S. Department of Energy.

“A major focus for the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus institutions right now is planning for the future growth of this campus, in particular taking into account our short- and long-term transportation and energy needs to accommodate the large-scale growth we are anticipating over the next decade. We were thrilled to be able to partner with AAA and NYSERDA on this important project, as part of our ongoing initiative with National Grid to revolutionize the BNMC,” said Matthew K. Enstice, President, Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc.

The BNMC, Inc. was awarded and successfully implemented a $300,000 project with a $150,000 grant awarded by the DOE/NYSERDA for the turnkey installation of 21 Electric Vehicle Charging Stations throughout the Campus parking areas, including the parking lot at 589 Ellicott Street, the garage at Ellicott & Goodrich, the garage currently under construction at 134 High Street, and in the right-of-way along Ellicott Street.

In addition, AAA has installed EV Chargers at its two AAA Car Care Plus locations—8120 Main Street in Clarence and 2131 Eggert Road in Amherst (near Niagara Falls Boulevard). They are available 24/7 for all motorists.

“AAA is pleased to be a part of this initiative and on the cutting edge of automotive technology that positions us to serve the ever-changing needs of our AAA members,” said Tom Chestnut, President/CEO of AAA Western and Central New York. “We thank the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, NYSERDA, and Clean Cities for the opportunity to be on board with electric vehicle charging stations at our AAA Car Care Plus locations in Amherst and Clarence for all motorists to access.”

Barry Carr and Bill Pauly, representing the U.S. Department of Energy’s Clean Cities Program proclaimed, “This is a wonderful boost to Western New York as these charging stations will allow our citizens to take advantage of the latest all electric and plug in hybrid vehicles. Use of these vehicles will significantly lower vehicle emissions and provide Western New York residents with the opportunity to charge their vehicles while away from home. We appreciate the leadership taken by BNMC, AAA, and National Grid in applying for this Recovery Act Funding to create commerce here in Western New York.”

Focused on a wide array of public and retail destination stations, Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) has been deployed throughout New York State in an effort to reduce dependence on petroleum-based fuels. All major vehicle manufacturers are now selling all electric or plug in hybrid vehicles that can dramatically lower operating cost and emissions. The 21 EVSEs unveiled today, a first of its magnitude for the Greater Western New York region, will be followed by units located at local and super regional shopping centers and malls, open area lots, covered garages, parks, neighborhoods, and municipal and business offices.

For Electric Vehicle owners interested in utilizing BNMC’s new Electric Vehicle Charging Station Network please contact us at (716) 854-BNMC to learn more. More information on AAA’s EV Charging Stations is available by calling AAA Car Care Plus in Clarence at (716) 932-3900 or Amherst at (716) 362-0562.

Initially, use of the EVSE will be provided at no cost to the public in an effort to foster increased use of battery electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. The grant funds for this effort were a part of a $30 million dollar award through NYSERDA and five of the US DOE Clean Cities Organizations in NYS.

The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus is a consortium of the region’s premier healthcare, life sciences research, and medical education institutions, all located on 120 acres in downtown Buffalo, New York. The BNMC is dedicated to the cultivation of a world-class medical campus for clinical care, research, education, and entrepreneurship. BNMC member institutions are the University at Buffalo, Kaleida Health, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute, Buffalo Medical Group, Buffalo Hearing & Speech Center, Olmsted Center for Sight, Upstate New York Transplant Services, and the Center for Hospice and Palliative Care.

Media Coverage

Buffalo News
Medical Campus gets charging stations for plug-in cars
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WIVB — TV 4
Electric Car Charging Stations Now Open
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WKBW — TV 7
Electric Car Re-charging Stations Unveiled
Read Article

YNN Buffalo
Electric vehicle charging stations installed at medical campus
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As Upstate New York’s largest member services organization, AAA provides nearly 880,000 members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive related services. Since its founding in 1900, AAA has been a leading advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. Visit AAA at www.AAA.com.

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