Black Bear Solar Institute participates in the US Department of Energy’s “the EV Project” through installation and operation of Electric Vehicle charging stations.

BBSI owns and operates a Nissan LEAF all-electric vehicle which provides charging demonstrations, public displays and ride-and-drive events.

BBSI established a Green Gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains, with a string of EV recharging stations bridging the gap from the Interstate Highways and major metropolitan areas of Tennessee to the National Park gateway community of Townsend, Tennessee.  This effort enables Electric Vehicles to reach and tour the Great Smoky Mountains National Park with no emissions within the Park, improving the air quality in and around the most heavily visited National Park in the United States.  Ongoing projects will add solar electric shade canopies, enabling renewable energy recharging from locally-produced solar electricity.

BBSI has sponsored the installation of all EV recharging stations in the Tennessee State Park System, all across the state, and the EV recharging facility at Knoxville’s McGhee Tyson Airport.

BBSI received the Sustainable Transportation Award from the State of Tennessee in recognition of our accomplishment with the Green Gateway.

Green Gateway to the Great Smoky

Mountains National Park

Some of Our Smoky Mountain Region  EV Charging Locations

Tennessee-Wide EV Charging Locations

Knoxville

McGhee Tyson Airport