How will Coulomb "sell" the energy

Without looking at the law in every jurisdiction, we can say with some certainty that it is illegal to sell electricity in the U.S. unless you're a utility company. Originally intended to keep shady landlords from overcharging tenants for power, this law creates a bit of a problem for companies, like Coulomb Technologies, that want to get into the electric vehicle charging station business.

At the Plug-In 2009 conference in Long Beach this week, we spoke with Coulomb's Mike DiNucci, who told us how his company has figured out a way to offer customers electricity without breaking the law. It was tricky, but they found a solution is to sell charging sessions at the outlet, not the power itself. When you use one of Coulomb's ChargePoints, you'll pay a set rate, say $2. You pay this if you're getting a 30-minute top-off while getting groceries or if you charge up for four hours during dinner and a movie. Since you're paying the same amount for vastly different amounts of energy, no one can accuse Coulomb of selling the energy.

Instead, they're selling access to the energy. Clever, no? Read on past the jump to find out how DiNucci says this method will make money for Coulomb, and for private and public entities that install ChargePoints. The up-front investment to install a single ChargePoint is between $4,000 and $5,000. Money from the installations is one of Coulomb's two income streams. The other comes not from those $2 charging sessions – the people who provide the space for the stations get to keep that money to pay for the juice and make their installation cost back – but from the $100/year (roughly) subscription fee that Coulomb charges regular users. This fee will allow you access to the network, but won't pay for the electricity. That cost will still be charged each time you visit the ChargePoint, just like you pay each time you go to the gas station now.

If you're not a subscriber but have an EV you want to plug into a ChargePoint, you can call the toll-free number printed on each ChargePoint to either sign up as a subscriber on the spot or pay an access fee via credit card. The good news is that Coulomb will give everyone two free charging sessions, a little "try before you buy" access. When it comes time to pay the bills, let's be clear that not all sessions will be $2. Coulomb offers a variety of plans, including simple pre-paid cards, that should meet most EV drivers' needs, no matter how often they charging away from home.

Source : AutoBlogGreen, by Sebastian Blanco, August 14th, 2009

EVs and PHEVs have a great future

The new freeway-speed electric vehicles will be smart electric vehicles and will be smart about using energy inside the vehicle so that it can go 100 miles between charges. The EVs will be smart about navigation options that consider your preference for getting somewhere fast or traveling with minimal energy use. EVs will be full of electronics to entertain passengers and will be smart about charging to meet driver preferences for saving money or charging more quickly.

Smart electric vehicles ideally use a smart grid for charging. The electric utilities see the electric vehicle as part of the new smart grid which uses information technology to make the electric grid efficient, reliable, distributed, and interoperable. Years ago, mainframe computers with dumb terminals gave way to network computing. Similar improvements are now underway with the electric grid. At the Plug-in 2009 Conference and Exposition in Long Beach, thousands saw new electric vehicles, new smart charging stations, and joining presentations by leading auto makers, utilities, early fleet users, and sustainable city leaders from Southern California Edison, SDGE, AQMD, EPRI, and many others.

At the Plug-in Conference, the new Nissan Leaf got a lot of attention. By the end of 2011, Nissan may deliver as many as 10,000 of these. Most will be delivered where utility and other partners have committed to complete programs to install garage, employer, and other public charging stations. The new 2010 Nissan Leaf is a comfortable compact hatchback that seats five. Clean Fleet Report’s test drives of Nissan EV prototypes demonstrated plenty of acceleration. The Nissan Leaf is powered by 24kWh of lithium-ion batteries. The Leaf has a range of about 100 miles. In 8 hours you are good for another 100 miles with a Level 2 AC200V home-use charger; in 26 minutes you can be 80% charged with a Level 3 DC 50kW quick charger.

Transportation expert, Antonio Benecchi forecasts that plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles will capture 10 to 20% of the auto market by 2030. The speed of adoption will depend on cost and early customer experience. If the lifetime cost of owning and operating an electric vehicle is less than a comparable gasoline powered one, 20% could be low by 2030. When you get an iPhone, Nokia, or Blackberry, the cost of the smartphone depends on the type of subscription plan you have with the wireless carrier. Similarly, over the next few years, automakers and their partners may explore different business models such as:

· Vehicle purchased with battery leased

· Vehicle, battery, and energy for charging are all subscribed
· EV and charging are part of carsharing plans
· Integrated mobility offerings will include an EVFor example, the Nissan Leaf might be offered by a dealer for under $30,000 with battery and charging offered on a subscription plan by Better Place or various electric utilities.

If charging and subscription plans are kept simple, consumers will love it. If consumers must sign for different plans as they go to different cities, EVs will be a turn-off. Standards are being put in place so that auto makers, charging station providers, and electric utilities will be compatible. A key standard is automotive SAE J1772, which standardizes the electrical connection, current flow, and some communication between smart vehicle and smart charger. This standard is compatible with important advanced metering smart home electric standards such as Smart Energy 2.0. EV customers will be able to check on how much their EV batteries are charged through a web browser, their smart phone, or by looking at their vehicle dash. The networking and software is there, so that they could look at monthly vehicle use and charges. Electric utility operators will be able to track, manage, and forecast EV electricity use thanks to smart charging stations with electric utility meter chips built in such as Coulomb ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations and ETEC, who has already installed over 5,500 charging stations. ETEC will be installing over 12,500 new charging stations thanks to a matching grant of almost $100 million from DOE.

Thanks to software services from GirdPoint and others, the technology is there to plug-in and having charging managed by user preferences and subscription agreements. Utilities could shape demand to off-peak. Utilities could use EVs for spinning reserves and peak power using vehicle-to-grid (V2G). Dr. Jasna Tomic with CALSTART estimates that the national grid would only need 7% additional capacity to off-peak charge 100 million EVs. Those same vehicles could provide 70% of the national grid’s needed peak power. Smart grid upgrades, customer price signals and subscription agreements could enable growing use of V2G in the coming decade. Smart vehicles and smart grids create a trillion dollar opportunity for incumbents and innovators. The opportunity has attracted GM, Ford, Toyota, Nissan, and hundreds of other auto makers. It has attracted the world’s largest electric utilities and grid operators. This smart grid “Internet” for electricity now has devoted teams inside IBM, Google, Cisco, Microsoft, and other information technology giants.The smart electric vehicle is symbiotic with the smart grid. The information communication technology is there. It is the business models and customer experience that count. Get ready for the most comfortable and intelligent ride of your life.

Source : CleanTechBlog, by John Addisson, August 20th, 2009

Better Place targets 160,000 EVs a year

The scale of the ambition underpinning Project Better Place's plan to develop mainstream electric vehicles was underlined yesterday when it emerged that the company expects to roll out 160,000 electric cars a year in Denmark and Israel from 2011.

In an interview with the Guardian newspaper, Jens Moberg, one of the company's senior executives and chief executive of Better Place Denmark, said that he expected the firm's partnership with Renault to result in annual electric car sales in "the tens of thousands" within three years.

Project Better Place is seeking to pioneer an innovative business model where car drivers sign up to a monthly subscription plan, similar to those operated for mobile phones, that allows them to access the batteries needed to run the electric cars developed by the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Motorists would simply swap run-down batteries for full batteries at Better Place recharging stations, effectively removing the problem of recharging that has hampered the adoption of conventional electric cars. Moberg refused to give details of the expected pricing for the subscription model, but he revealed that the three models of electric cars – a sedan, a city car and a van – will cost up to U$38,000 (26,700 €)) while the Lithium-ion batteries will cost about U$11,400 (8,000 €) to manufacture. However, he added that he expected the cost of batteries to "come down afterwards as production expands ".

He said that initially about 100 battery-swap stations will be available across Denmark and predicted that the size of the country, combined with the range of cars, means that ultimately there will be "fewer than 1,000 stations". The news confirms that Better Place is accelerating its ambitious plans to deliver a country-wide recharging network within the next few years. The company has secured high-profile support from a large number of national and regional governments, announcing similar plans for networks in Hawaii and San Francisco, and recently revealing that it is looking to build arguably its most ambitious recharging network to date in Australia. Moberg also revealed that Better Place was in talks with a number of other European countries, including France, about further expanding its network.

Source : BusinessGreen, by James Murray, August 19th, 2009

Eaton green technologies' deployment

Diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton Corporation announces its truck and electrical businesses will support a $45.4 million grant to produce plug-in hybrid electric power systems for 378 vehicles, the nation’s largest commercial plug-in hybrid deployment to date. The funding is part of the recently announced $2.4 billion in grants under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Eaton will work with grant recipient South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) and other affiliates, including the Electrical Power Research Institute (EPRI), Altec Industries, Compact Power Inc., Ford Motor Company and Southern California Edison, in the deployment of plug-in hybrid electric commercial vehicles to more than 50 utility and municipal fleets nationwide. Eaton will also provide infrastructure for the electrical charging of these vehicles.

“This funding is an important milestone in the advancement of plug-in hybrid vehicles, and Eaton is pleased to be a recipient,” said Alexander M. Cutler, Eaton chairman and chief executive officer. “By providing our sustainable, energy-saving technologies to power the vehicles as well as the electrical infrastructure support to help keep them running, we believe we can provide Eaton customers with the technology they need to move plug-in hybrids to the next level.”

The development and deployment of the plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and accompanying charging infrastructure will take place over 18 months. Vehicles will be evaluated over a two-year period.

“The production and demonstration of this fleet of vehicles is a significant step in driving PHEV technology beyond the personal transportation platform to a daily work application,” said Mark Duvall, director of Electric Transportation at EPRI. “This project leverages Eaton's current hybrid electric system and builds upon nearly three years of ongoing work by Eaton and EPRI to develop PHEV technology for commercial vehicles."

In the utility truck application, the plug-in hybrids will be based on the Ford F550 chassis and will have a total range of at least 300 miles (480 km). The system will provide fuel economy improvement of up to 70% when compared to a standard utility vehicle, with similar reductions in emissions and noise. The entire system can be recharged by plugging it into a standard 120- or 240-volt electrical outlet. In addition, the trucks will be capable of powering auxiliary equipment and tools while stopped at a work site.

An important element in the adoption of these vehicles is the electrical infrastructure for plug-in charging. As a leader in electrical technology, Eaton will work with EPRI to develop plug-in station technology for use by utilities and other customers across the country.

In addition to being a leader in electrical infrastructure and systems, Eaton is a global leader in the production of hybrid power systems for trucks and buses, accumulating nearly 20 million road tested miles of service around the world. Eaton is the only company to offer hybrid electric as well as two hybrid hydraulic system technologies and the charging infrastructure for commercial and residential applications.

Companies such as FedEx, UPS, Coca-Cola Enterprises, PepsiCo and Wal-Mart are using delivery vehicles with Eaton hybrid systems. Work trucks with Eaton hybrid power are also in service at dozens of utility and telecom systems across North America, including Pepco, American Electric Power, Pacific Gas and Electric, Southern California Edison, and Florida Power and Light. Benefits of the existing Eaton system include fuel economy improvement ranging from 30 to 70%, with similar percentages in emission reductions, extended brake life, and idle time reductions of up to 87% during work site operations.

Source : PENNenergy, August 14th, 2009

PHEVs; an intelligent future

If plug-in hybrid electric vehicles are the future, it stands to reason we'll need more places to plug in. Sticky questions such as how much more electricity a state full of plug-in cars might need, and where that power might come front, are the subject of a new study being done by the state Energy Research and Development Authority and a not-for-profit research group, the Electric Power Research Institute.

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) could dramatically reduce the need for gasoline in transportation and fight climate change by cutting vehicle emissions of carbon dioxide. On Tuesday, General Motors announced that its plug-in Chevy Volt could get the equivalent of 230 miles per gallon in city driving. The car, due in showrooms next year, could cost as little as 40 cents a day to recharge.

The power demand study will offer insight into "the supply-side of the market, where capacity is necessary to achieve wide public acceptance of these vehicles, " said Francis J. Murray, Jr., NYSERDA president and CEO. PHEVs, he said, can serve as "a high-value customer" for wind power by recharging overnight, when demand and rates are low. Of particular interest is the potential PHEV impact on downstate grids due to concentrated electric demand and vehicle population. NYSERDA spokesman Ray Hull said that plug-in vehicles could someday serve as a way to store electricity that could be returned to the grid when needed, a scenario known as "vehicle-to-grid" charging.

"It is something that we need smart grid technology for," Hull said. He described a scenario in which the power grid might be able to monitor when a few thousand plug-ins are not being used, and redirect that electricity back into general demand. In related measure, the state authority is testing a Ford PHEV prototype as part of studies that began in 2006. The studies now include five Prius retrofitted PHEVs that are in use at various state agencies. The authority hopes to eventually test up to 600 such vehicles.

Source : The Times Union, by Brian Nearing, August 12th, 2009

Renault-Nissan helps Australia to go green

The Renault-Nissan Alliance and the State Government of Victoria in Australia have formed a partnership to explore the development of a Zero Emission Vehicles program. The two organizations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) under which a working team of representatives from the Victoria Government and Nissan will identify potential are as of co-operation in promoting the use of zero emission vehicles in the State.

"Technology for zero emissions mobility is a reality and we are prepared to proactively explore ways to bringing this technology to the market with collaboration from the government"

"Our company is leading the world in the design and production of a battery-powered family-sized car and we aim to have this vehicle on sale in Australia by 2012. Today’s announcement of the signing of a strategic MoU with the Government of Victoria brings that reality closer" Thompson continued.

"The Nissan organization recognizes the importance of sustainability by limiting CO2 emissions and we are ready and able to partner governments in pursuing that role" "The Victorian Government is looking at the benefits of introducing and expanding electric vehicle technology for our State" Victorian State Government Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Gavin Jennings said. "This MoU formalizes discussions with the Nissan Motor Company which is among the global leaders in the development of electric vehicles and demonstrates our commitment to supporting electric vehicle technologies"

The Alliance has formed partnerships with nearly 30 governments, cities and other organizations around the world, including Japan, the U.S.A., Europe and Asia, to advance the deployment of EVs worldwide.

Source : PR-Canada, August 10th, 2009

Electric provider joins Nissan-eTec program

Recently we reported on Nissan and eTec's combined efforts to roll-out the largest EV project and charging station effort in U.S. history. Now, Portland General Electric has joined in the effort to put the charging infrastructure for EVs in place throughout Oregon as soon as possible.

PGE was selected as a strategic participant in the project and the state of Oregon has been named as one of the five markets used as a test bed for this project. eTec choose PGE to gain understanding into EV usage patterns and how they impact the electrical grid throughout the day. They also hope to conduct research into how EVs can interact with PGE's smart grid initiatives that kicked off recently. Jim Piro, CEO of PGE said, "This announcement is an exciting and important step forward to develop the critical infrastructure necessary in Oregon to support next-generation electric vehicles that are coming to market in 2010. This project will give us a better understanding of how charging of electric vehicles can effectively be integrated into a smartelectric grid at the lowest possible cost."

In terms of electric companies, PGE is ahead of most of their competitors. They've partnered with area governments and have installed almost 20 EV charging stations in the Portland and Salem areas. As part of the agreement between the companies working on this project, up to 1,000 Nissan LEAFs could be available at Nissan dealerships in the state of Oregon by Fall 2010. They expect to have 2,500 charging stations installed beginning in the summer of next year to support the vehicle. The stations will be located at both homes and businesses and additional fast charge stations will be installed in highly congested areas throughout the state. As the program begins, residents who wish to join in on the program will be able to purchase a Nissan LEAF. Consumers who purchase the LEAF in Oregon under the program will have charging equipment installed at their home or business at no cost.

Source : AllCarsElectric, by Eric Loveday, August 7th, 2009

Nissan and eTec to build charging network

As part of the $2.4 billion recovery act funding awarded to the electric car industry, the Electric Transportation Engineering Corporation (eTec), ECOtality, Inc., was given a very important and symbolic portion.

They will team up with Nissan to deploy the largest electric vehilce and charging infrastructure ever undertaken. eTec will receive $99.8 million which will be matched by $199 million in funds from regional participants to install a network of electric vehicle charging stations in each of five major US regions. These areas include Tennessee, Oregon, San Diego, Seattle and the Phoenix/Tucson region.

Within those same regions, partner Nissan will also deploy up to 1,000 of its newly unveiled Nissan LEAF zero-emission vehicles. The aim of the project is to collect and analyze data on the real-world functioning of electric cars within diverse climactic and topographic regions, as well as to determine the functioning of public charging infrastructure within those poulated regions. As well, several potential methods of revenue generation within this market will be analyzed.

"Nissan appreciates the support of the Department of Energy in helping jumpstart the electrification of the transportation sector," said Scott Becker vice president, Legal and General Counsel, Nissan North America. "This is a major step in promoting zero-emission mobility in the United States. Nissan is looking forward to partnering with eTec to help make electric cars a reality and to help establish the charging networks in key markets."

Approximately 12,500 Level 2 (220V) charging systems and 250 Level 3 (fast-charge) systems produced by eTec will be installed.

"ECOtality is committed to enhancing America's energy independence, accelerating the market acceptance of electric transportation and supporting President Obama's goals for job creation and advanced electric drive vehicle deployment," stated Jonathan Read, President and CEO, ECOtality. "This Project underscores America's leadership role in clean electric transportation and exemplifies the Department of Energy's strategic foresight and commitment to improving our environment and economy. By developing a rich charge infrastructure in each market, this Project will enable a successful consumer experience amongst early EV adopters and increase market demand for electric transportation."

Source : AllCarsElectric, by Lyle Dennis, August 5th, 2009

Interview of ECOtality's CEO

You can find HERE the latest video of the interview of ECOtality's CEO, Jonathan Read, talking about the plug-in infrastructure his company is working on.

Source : the Auto Channel, August 7th, 2009

West Sacramento gets Coulomb plugs

DMC Green, Inc. announced today that they have opened the first electric vehicle charging station in West Sacramento, CA. The DMC-owned charging station, featuring a Coulomb Technologies ChargePoint™ Networked Charging Station, is the first of 40 DMC charging stations now in contract scheduled for installation throughout California.

The West Sacramento station – Harbor Point ’76 - also offers E-85 ethanol and biodiesel under the DMC brand as part of DMC’s ongoing program to green-retrofit existing gas stations throughout California. “In addition to the electric vehicle charger, the availability of E-85 and biodiesel lowers the demand for oil and helps keep prices down,” says Mat Ehrhardt, Air Pollution Control Officer of the Yolo Solano Air Quality Management District. “Domestically produced fuel reduces our dependency on foreign oil, but more importantly, supports sustainable new business in the Sacramento region.” All DMC biofuels offered in California are made in America with preference given to local producers.

“Once completed, these networked charging stations will connect major traffic arteries, cities and counties throughout California, creating a significant step in reducing California’s greenhouse footprint,” says Richard Lowenthal, CEO of Coulomb Technologies, DMC’s technology partner. “Electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure is beginning to take root in California and with DMC’s plans for a retrofitted filling station network, EV drivers will be able to travel freely throughout California with peace of mind knowing they can locate a place to charge their plug-in vehicles.”

“DMC is leading the charge of the inevitable transition from fossil fuels to alternative fuels and electricity as a fuel is an important component,” says John Reusche, DMC’s General Manager for Northern California. “We recognized early on that as advanced technology vehicles came on the market that they would need a place to buy advanced technology fuels. As these stations come on line, consumers will be able to purchase the advanced fuel vehicle that best suits their needs because of the fuel choices offered by the DMC.”

With U.S. car manufacturers now focusing on advanced fuel cars, trucks and SUV’s, DMC hopes their program will create more jobs, increase lagging sales and meet consumer concerns about rising gasoline prices.

Source : businesswire, August 5th, 2009

Plug-In Network to come soon

Chattanooga will be part of a $99.8 million effort to undertake the largest deployment of electric vehicles (EVs) and charging infrastructure in U.S. history.

The U.S. Department of Energy today said that Tennessee is one of five states participating in the major clean energy venture.

The state of Tennessee's role in the project is an outgrowth of Governor Phil Bredesen's conversations with Nissan North America, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), and other public and private partners committed to promoting the use of zero-emission vehicles, including electric vehicles, state officials said.

The multi-state project will be funded through a $99.8 million DOE grant to Electric Transportation Engineering Corp. (eTec), a subsidiary of ECOtality, Inc., a Phoenix, Ariz.-based leader in electric transportation and storage technologies. eTec, in partnership with Nissan, will take advantage of the early availability of the Nissan Leaf, a newly unveiled zero-emission electric vehicle, to develop, implement and study techniques for optimizing the effectiveness of charging infrastructure that will support widespread electric vehicle deployment.

Nissan described the project as "the largest deployment of electric vehicles and charging infrastructure ever undertaken."

The project will install electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and deploy up to 5,000 Nissan battery electric vehicles, in strategic markets in five states: Arizona, California, Oregon, Tennessee, and Washington. Approximately 2,500 charging stations will be installed to support as many as 1,000 cars that are expected to be purchased for use in commercial and government fleets and by individual consumers.

The first cars will hit the road in late 2010 and early 2011. "Helping fund infrastructure, like charging stations, is a logical extension of government investment in the transportation sector," Governor Bredesen said.

Governor Bredesen said he views the electric vehicle project as a natural extension of economic investments that recently have propelled Tennessee to the forefront of the clean energy technology field. The Pew Charitable Trusts reports that the Tennessee State is one of three states in the nation - including Colorado and Oregon - that has a "large and fast-growing" clean energy economy.

"For Tennessee, investing in electric vehicle technology is not only about doing the right thing for the environment," Bredesen said. "It's also about creating jobs and strengthening our economy."

eTec, as the lead applicant for the proposal, partnered with Nissan North America to deploy EVs and the charging infrastructure to support them. The Project takes advantage of the early availability of the Nissan LEAF, a zero-emission electric vehicle, to develop, implement and study techniques for optimizing the effectiveness of charging infrastructure that will support widespread EV deployment.

“By studying lessons learned from electric vehicle operations and the infrastructure supporting these first 5,000 vehicles, the Project enables the streamlined deployment of the next 5,000,000 electric vehicles,” said Don Karner, president of eTec.

The Project will collect and analyze data to characterize vehicle use in diverse topographic and climatic conditions, evaluate the effectiveness of charge infrastructure, and conduct trials of various revenue systems for commercial and public charge infrastructure.

With the goal of developing mature charging environments, the Project proposes to deploy charging infrastructure in major population areas that include Phoenix, Tucson, San Diego, Portland, Eugene, Salem, Corvallis, Seattle, Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga.

To support the Nissan EV, the Project will install approximately 12,500 Level 2 (220V) charging systems and 250 Level 3 (fast-charge) systems.

“ECOtality is committed to enhancing America’s energy independence, accelerating the market acceptance of electric transportation and supporting President Obama’s goals for job creation and advanced electric drive vehicle deployment,” stated Jonathan Read, president and CEO, ECOtality. “This Project underscores America’s leadership role in clean electric transportation and exemplifies the Department of Energy’s strategic foresight and commitment to improving our environment and economy. By developing a rich charge infrastructure in each market, this Project will enable a successful consumer experience amongst early EV adopters and increase market demand for electric transportation.”

On Sunday, Nissan introduced the LEAF, an electric vehicle and the world’s first affordable, zero-emission car. Designed specifically for a lithium-ion battery-powered chassis, Nissan LEAF is a medium-size hatchback that comfortably seats five adults and has a range of 100 miles to satisfy real-world consumer requirements. The Nissan LEAF will launch in the United States in late 2010. U.S. production will begin in 2012, at Nissan’s manufacturing facility in Smyrna, Tennessee.

“Nissan appreciates the support of the Department of Energy in helping jumpstart the electrification of the transportation sector,” said Scott Becker vice president, legal and general counsel, Nissan North America. “This is a major step in promoting zero-emission mobility in the United States. Nissan is looking forward to partnering with eTec to help make electric cars a reality and to help establish the charging networks in key markets.”

The U.S. Department of Energy will provide funding of up to $99.8 million that will be matched by Project participants. Federal matching funds will be used to design, deploy, and operate a mature charging infrastructure in support of future wide-scale deployment of EVs, and to evaluate the means to improve the effectiveness of this charging infrastructure.

The Chattanoogan, August 5th, 2009

Tesla charging stations

Tesla Motors received $561,000 for the development of a UL approved 16 kw public charging station.

According to the 2007 CARB (California Air Resources Board) Alternative Fuel Incentive Program (AFIP) Proposal Solicitation: “Electric fuel vehicles have the largest potential to reduce climate change emissions and petroleum dependency relative to any other alternative fuel vehicle under consideration.”

Under the grant, the charging station technology developed by Tesla could be used to power up electric vehicles throughout the state of California. Other grant recipients include the University of California, Berkeley, the University of California, Davis and the Electric Power Research Institute. “California has a long history of supporting green technology and encouraging automobile manufacturers to meet increasingly stringent vehicle emissions requirements,” said Diarmuid O’Connell, Director of Corporate Development at Tesla Motors, “This sizeable grant offered jointly by the California Air Resources Board and the California Energy Commission is a significant vote of confidence for Tesla Motors and acknowledges the pioneering work Tesla Motors is doing in the development of zero-emissions electric vehicles and charging station technology.”

Source : Tesla, May 27th, 2007

Charging vehicles will be easy

It seems like new plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV) are being announced every day. If Coulomb Technologies has its way, you’ll be powering your next PHEV with the help of “Smartlet Charging Stations”— curbside plug-in charging machines that activate with “ChargePoint Smart Cards”.

The company is in direct competition with Better Place, which also has plans to install PHEV charging stations in public areas. But while Better Place is focusing on stations that offer both charging and battery-swapping, Coulomb is speeding up its roll-out by only focusing on charging.

While fewer than 300 PHEVs are on the road today in the US, Coulomb wants to install 40 Smartlet Stations along California highways and at fueling stations by the end of this business quarter. Demonstration charging stations are already in place in downtown San Jose, California. The company is also working on software to manage electricity flow between PHEVs and power grids.

Source : CleanTechnica, by Ariel Schwartz, February 18th, 2009

Hotels are plug-in infrastructure

Road-tripping with your plug-in car is getting a little easier. Element, an eco-friendly hotel chain owned by Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, installed an electric car charging station at its flagship property in Lexington, Mass..

The station is part of the ChargePoint Network, which has 140 other charging stations worldwide, including one at a McDonald’s in Cary, N.C.

It is not the first hotel to offer plug-ins for electric cars. Hyatt installed Tesla charging stations at three of its California hotels in 2007.

But what sets the ChargePoint stations apart are its Web-ready features. For example, drivers can find the nearest ChargePoint station — and see whether it’s occupied — with a smart phone. Drivers can also be notified via a text message or email once charging, which takes between three and four hours, has been completed.

Element plans to install chargers at its other hotels. It currently has four hotels (in Massachusetts, Texas, Nevada and Maryland), with new locations in New Jersey and Colorado scheduled to open later this year.

Source : The New York Times, by Hilary Howard, August 5th, 2009

McDonald's goes green !

McDonald’s Corporation, the leading global foodservice retailer, and NovaCharge, a leader in the deployment of EV charging infrastructure, today announced the deployment of electric vehicle charging stations. McDonald's will open the first "green" restaurant, built with eco-friendly materials and technologies, including ChargePoint™ Networked Charging Stations for electric vehicles from Coulomb Technologies, making it the first of its kind in the United States.

Ric Richards, president of Richard's Advantage, Inc. and owner/operator of the new McDonald's, set a strategy in 2007 to build a state of the art restaurant dedicated to sustainability and reduced energy consumption. By partnering with NovaCharge, the new McDonald's will deliver yet another new facet of energy conservation by enabling EV drivers to have a place to recharge their vehicles, while enjoying their meal. NovaCharge, the exclusive distributor in the southeastern U.S. for Coulomb Technologies provided all aspects of sales and support for this installation. “The networked grid-friendly charging stations are a perfect complement to the many innovative green features of the restaurant,” said Ric Richards, “Our customers will have a dedicated place to park and recharge their vehicles.”

The use of green building technologies and electric vehicles are two key facets of America’s efforts to transform the nation's economy and address environmental concerns. For EV’s to become mainstream, they must be as easy to use and to fuel as their gasoline counterparts. To make this a reality, electric vehicle charging stations must be conveniently available where people work and play.

The restaurant has installed EV charging stations for plug-in electric vehicles, which are enabled by the unique capabilities of the ChargePoint Network.The ChargePoint Network enabled charging stations provide:

• A secure, safe, reliable way for consumers to charge their electric vehicles anywhere.
• The ability for EV drivers to find, and navigate to, available open stations.
• Secure, authorized access charging, while eliminating energy theft and cord theft.
• An infrastructure that enables rapid growth of the market for plug-in electric vehicles of all types.
• Administrative monitoring and control services to allow utilities to optimize grid use.

Source : Coulomb Technologies, July 21st, 2009

San Jose Leading EV Charge

While San Francisco and Portland are each publicly claiming they'll have the best electric vehicle networks in place in their cities, San Jose may be have made the most progress. The city of San Jose has installed 7 charging stations so far, including spots at City Hall and a public parking garage.

At the charging locations vehicle owners don't pay for the power; instead they are charged based on the time in the parking spot. To simplify payment, EV owners get a keychain fob that's connected to their credit card. Nanci Klein, the manager of corporate outreach for the city, says vehicle chargers are being added to light poles in "key neighborhoods."

The city will take advantage of its control of the right of way on light poles (which will be upgraded as they are repaired) and in parking garage to create a network that will incentivize residents to purchase plug-in and battery-electric vehicles. San Jose's redevelopment agency, as well as the Commerce Department's Economic Development Administration, have contributed funding to the project. Klein's office is also working with Fortune 100 companies to persuade them to install EV charging stations at employer sites. She is also in discussions with officials involved in building code enforcement and public works to streamline the permitting process for installing charging station equipment.

The city also wants the electricity to power the vehicles to be clean. The city recently announced an organic waste to energy plant, the first of its kind. As part of San Jose's 15-year "Green Vision" plan, the city is moving to all renewable power. San Jose benefits from the proximity of major players in the EV and charging world including Coulomb Technologies (which installed the charging stations), Tesla Motors, and Better Place. With its large population of engineers, software developers and other higher-income residents, San Jose is likely to see one of the highest per capita rates of PHEVs in the coming years. The city already sees strong sales of hybrid vehicles and the micro Smart cars.

Source : Reuters, by Matthew Goldstein, July 29th, 2009