Coulomb Technologies Unveils First ChargePoint America EV Charging Stations in San Jose
30 July 2010
Coulomb Technologies has installed its first Networked Charging Station for electric vehicles in San Jose, California from its $37 million ChargePoint America program (earlier post). ChargePoint America will offer hundreds of free stations for public and home charging to individuals and businesses throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, including San Jose, for use by individual vehicle owners and by fleets.
Coulomb is working with Ford, Chevrolet and smart USA, all of whom have announced plans to introduce EVs in the Bay Area. The first two ChargePoint America stations are now installed at the McEnery Convention Center Parking Center.
Coulomb’s ChargePoint America program will provide some 4,600 charging stations to program participants in nine regions in the United States: Austin, Texas, Detroit, Los Angeles, New York, Orlando, Fla., Sacramento, Calif., the San Jose/San Francisco Bay Area, Bellevue/Redmond, Wash., and Washington DC and is a strategic partnership between Coulomb and three leading automobile makers: Ford, Chevrolet and Smart USA.
Coulomb currently has more than 700 networked units shipped to more than 130 customers. Installation of the ChargePoint charging stations is underway now in all nine regions.
Coulomb’s ChargePoint Network is open to all drivers of plug-in vehicles and provides authentication, management and real-time control for the networked electric vehicle charging stations.
The $37 million ChargePoint America program is made possible by a $15-million grant funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through the Transportation Electrification Initiative administered by the Department of Energy. ChargePoint America will provide 4,600 public and home ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations by October 2011, adding to the existing ChargePoint Network.
Coulomb will work together with its distribution and industry partners to evaluate the demand from the respective geographic regions and allocate charging stations based on this and other factors. The ChargePoint America project will collect data characterizing vehicle use and charging patterns, and Purdue University and Idaho National Labs will analyze the data.
Any idea on the cost of a Level 1, and Level 2 domestic wall mountable charge point (uninstalled) with incorporated cumulative power meter?
Posted by: HarveyD | 30 July 2010 at 11:35 AM
It sounds to me like the deal needs to be made among the buyer, dealer and utility. It looks like people think they will buy and EV/PHEV and just plug it in. I would want a package deal from the seller and cooperation from the utility.
Posted by: SJC | 30 July 2010 at 01:10 PM
Would it not make more sense to install level III chargers where you can charge your car back up to 50-70% in about 1/2 hour, before you start encouraging 4-8 hour charges at parking lots? In effect by installing level II stations you are selling parking space for a small amount of the population. Fast charge stations should be installed with the money or battery swapping stations...in fact you could offer both at the same location. Level II is for home charging. Don't forget the charger is actually in the car for level II charging so all you are doing is offering a smart plug to parkers. Not a good use of the money.
Posted by: Lad | 30 July 2010 at 04:04 PM
I think the more powerful public chargers make sense. Lots of people go shopping for an hour or so and it would be nice to have more range to go other places.
Posted by: SJC | 30 July 2010 at 09:25 PM
Leaf apparently requires you purchase a $2500 L2 charger along with the vehicle. These guys may be way ahead of the curve in that MOST EV owners will charge at home overnight at low rates, and or at work on the employer's dime.
Either way having chargers appear around municipal hot spots is good PR for EV adoption - and may in fact be the motivation for ChargePoint. We see this as all good news for electrification and if Level 3 chargers prove safe, and not voiding of battery warranties - put em in.
Not to forget that the reason for EVs purchase is partly to avoid costly fueling. Fast charge rates will be more expensive than overnight and economy minded EV owners may shun "instant gratification" from L3 charging.
Posted by: Reel$$ | 31 July 2010 at 10:27 AM
I am not sure the charge will be on the employers dime. People may be willing to pay for quick charge because the cost ratio between gasoline and electricity is pretty wide.
Posted by: SJC | 31 July 2010 at 10:55 AM
SJC, my thought is to offer employers lower tax rates based on the number of employees charging EVs at work. This would also incentivise large employer loan programs to purchase or lease EVs for employees.
Posted by: Reel$$ | 02 August 2010 at 10:34 AM
Then that would be employer money subsidized by private money. It is in everyone's good to have cleaner air and less imported oil, but in the present political climate I find that less likely.
Posted by: SJC | 03 August 2010 at 09:07 AM
Correction PUBLIC money. The no new taxes crowd would win.
Posted by: SJC | 03 August 2010 at 09:08 AM