Charge Your Electric Vehicle at Indian Creek Nature Center
Indian Creek Nature Center has been a leader in renewable energy adoption since installing solar panels on the Penningroth Barn back in the 1980s. Today, the Nature Center is continuing to lead by installing an electric vehicle charging station in the parking lot at Amazing Space.
Through a partnership with Alliant Energy, Indian Creek Nature Center now has a parking spot reserved for electric vehicles (EVs). There will be a Level 3/DC faster charger with two input options for different EV models (more on that later) available at a standard rate for EV drivers looking for a place to recharge both their cars and themselves as they travel through Cedar Rapids.
As the popularity of electric vehicles grows, the Nature Center is proud to be part of the growing electric vehicle infrastructure needed for more drivers to transition away from transportation that requires fossil fuels. Since the Amazing Space campus is entirely powered by solar energy, every kilowatt put into visiting electric vehicles will be 100% clean, renewable energy.
Why Electric Vehicles?
Electric vehicles allow drivers concerned about the environment to drive without relying on gasoline. No gasoline also means that electric vehicles cannot use the infrastructure built for gasoline vehicles. Building out this new infrastructure encourages early adoption of green technologies like electric vehicles.
Transportation contributes to roughly 29% of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, with a majority of those emissions coming from light-duty vehicles. This is compounded by the fact that 40% of all international shipping (which itself contributes 3% of global emissions) carries fossil fuels – much of which is oil waiting to be refined into gasoline.
The adoption of renewable energy sources for our transportation sector has the power to create a virtuous cycle that leads to lower emissions and more use of green technologies. Today, one of the largest hurdles to widespread electric vehicle adoption in the United States is a lack of infrastructure.
Indian Creek Nature Center is proud to be part of the solution and provide a place for electric vehicle owners near and far a place to charge their vehicle.
How EV Charging Works
Unlike gasoline-powered vehicles that can pull into any gas station, electric vehicle drivers need to locate charging stations that are not only conveniently located, but also compatible with their vehicle.
Indian Creek Nature Center has one Level 3 charging station. Level 3 chargers, also known as DC fast chargers, are the most effective way for travelers to charge their vehicles. Typically, an EV driver can get their vehicle fully charged in 30 to 60 minutes using a Level 3 charger. That’s drastically quicker than Level 2 or Level 1 chargers.
There are two inputs for drivers to choose from based on the make and model of their electric vehicle. The Combined Charging System Combo 1 (CCS1) connector supports vehicles manufactured by BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Nissan, Tesla, Volkswagen, and 2024 models of Ford and General Motors EVs, in addition to other automobile manufacturers.
CHAdeMO, the second input option, was developed in Japan and is compatible with Japanese automobile manufacturers including Mitsubishi, Subaru, Nissan and Honda. Indian Creek Nature Center hopes that by providing this combination of charging connectors, any electric vehicle driver can receive a fast and convenient charge while visiting our trails and grounds.
Just like filling a car with gasoline at the pump, there is a price to pay for fueling your vehicle. Indian Creek Nature Center will be charging a fair market rate for all vehicles using the charging station. In order to pay, drivers will use the Shell app that is free to download onto your smartphone. This app also provides the location of more than 60,000 charging stations across North America, so you can plan your next stop after visiting Indian Creek Nature Center.
While You’re Charging
Now you’ve got your electric vehicle plugged in and you’ve got 30 to 60 minutes to spend at the Nature Center. What can you do? We’ve got a few ideas!
We have two prairie trail loops that begin near the parking lot where your vehicle will be charging. Both the Blakeslee Bluebird Trail (.75 miles) and the Christiansen Prairie (.5 miles) can be completed in less than an hour – even at a leisurely pace. Both trails loop through restored prairies that are beautiful in all seasons and have benches placed along the trails.
Inside our headquarters you can view the Indian Creek Exhibit, a model of a living creek that is displayed in the floor. There’s also a bird viewing room, resident animals on display, and a prairie root exhibit.
Got kids ready to get out of the car? Let them burn off energy at Hazelnut Hideaway, the outdoor classroom, featuring a mud kitchen, swing, drums, and natural playscapes that encourage imaginative interaction with nature.