The Electric Vehicle Movement Needs You

by Zachary Heir | 1:21 am October 22nd, 2010 | 11 Comments »

Automakers around the globe have announced their intentions to release all-electric vehicles in the coming years.

The arrival of thousands of new all-electric vehicles is an exciting development, which will hopefully mark the beginning of a transition to alternative fuels in the transportation sector. Yet the first wave of full‐electric vehicles faces a major obstruction to entering the mainstream market: there is simply no infrastructure to support electric vehicle (EV) technology in the US. Project Get Ready is an initiative that helps cities across the continent make the shift away from fossil fuels in the transportation sector by implementing a network of plug‐in charging stations. And on January 20th, 2010 at the Northeast Auto Show, The Rocky Mountain Institute, the state of Rhode Island, the city of Providence and National Grid announced Project Get Ready Rhode Island (PGR RI), the first statewide effort to bringing in plug-in electric vehicles. This move towards alternative fuel is an enormous development: currently, 40% of Rhode Island’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are from transportation and 99% of these emissions are due to petroleum. PGR RI hopes to help prepare for and welcome 10,000 plug-in EVs to the state by 2015 in order to reduce Rhode Island’s carbon emissions, lessen its dependency on oil and alleviate the range anxiety of driving an EV.

Rhode Island policymakers, environmental advocates, transportation experts, business leaders and the state’s major electric utility provider are working together to form pragmatic strategies that will promote the adoption of EVs. These include: encouraging the installation of charging stations at both commercial and public locations; assisting fleet managers in evaluating the potential cost savings of EVs; bundling consumer incentives at the point of purchase; and expediting permitting for charging stations.Vedio on Coulomb Chargers in Use

Philly on board with EVSE stations by Coulomb

Where to Find Free Electric Car Charging Stations in Philadelphia Area

Free Locations for Philadelphia Area Drivers to Charge Their New Electric Cars

By Rick Blaine

With the introduction of electric cars, more and more drivers in the Philadelphia area will need to know where to find free electric car charging stations for their efficient new cars.Electric cars are suddenly a hot topic. In his 2011 State of the Union address, President Obama called for increased investment in electric car technology. Motor Trend magazine chose the Chevy Volt as its 2011 Car of the Year. Now, dealers in the Philadelphia area are also starting to sell the new Ford Focus and the Nissan Leaf.As these electric cars roll off the lot, drivers will need to know where to find free electric car charging stations in the area.PhiladelphiaIn 2010, the city of Philadelphia announced that it was using a state grant to start building electric car charging stations around the area.”This project starts solving the chicken and egg problem by creating an electric car public charging infrastructure that will then encourage people to purchase and use electric cars,” Pennsylvania Department of Environmental protection Secretary John Hanger said at the time. “The project also shows that Philadelphia can be a leader in the electric car revolution that will create enormous health, environmental and economic benefits.”The area’s first free electric car charging station was unveiled in November 2010 at a Liberty gas station in South Philadelphia. The station, located on Columbus Blvd. near Tasker Street, offers free charging for electric cars for the time being. Eventually, drivers will be able to recharge their cars while charging the electicity costs to their credit card.”I’m not even sure if it will be profitable,” says station owner Norman Zarwin, who believes it may take five to ten years for enough electric cars to be on the road to make his charging stations a real business. “Which comes first, the cars or the charging stations? There should be a wave of electric cars and trucks in the future.”ManyanukAnother forward-thinking company is installing electric car charging stations in the housing complex it is building in the northwest suburb of Manyanuk, PA.Denale, Inc. is building luxury townhomes in the Sheldon Crossing complex that feature what the company calls “green living.” This includes the use of energy efficient building materials, as well as on-going procedures that incorporate low waste, recycling and more. Among those “green” amenities are the electric car charging stations available to residents.”This new development is a showcase for the future of eco-friendly living,” says Richard Lowenthal, CEO of Coulomb Technologies, the makers of the electric car charging stations. “Charging stations for electric vehicles should be at the top of nearly every LEED checklist. We are pleased the developers have taken a progressive approach in looking at green transportation and electric vehicles.”

Green Power Technology, LLC Honored by CTI as Number 1 in sales for 2010

Green Power Technology, LLC was honored today by Coulomb Technology as the leading Distributor in the USA for the ChargePoint Network Chargers for 2010. GPT sold and managed the installation of more chargers in the Northeastern region then any other area . Jerry Reich who received the award on behalf of GPT stated: “he was honored and look forward to an even greater adoption in 2011″. We wish to thank all of our re-sellers and installers for a great 2010 effort.

GPT/ ARPIN / RI Banor see Video

http://www.cardis.com/main/images/arc.jpg

GPT/ ARPIN/ RI Install States First Coulomb Charger

Cardi’s installs state’s first car-charging station

01:00 AM EDT on Thursday, August 26, 2010

By Peter C.T. Elsworth

Journal Staff Writer

A car is hooked up to demonstrate the state’s first electric charging station, at Cardi’s Furniture Superstore on Route 2 in West Warwick, on Wednesday.

The Providence Journal / Kathy Borchers

WEST WARWICK — Which comes first, plug-in electric cars or electric-charging stations?

Nicholas, Ron and Peter Cardi see a network of charging stations coming first and have installed the first one in the state at the Cardi’s Furniture Superstore in West Warwick.

No matter that the only vehicle currently capable of using it is the pricey Tesla sports car which runs $109,000 for the base model.

“What do you do? It’s a chicken-and-egg thing,” said Peter Cardi Wednesday. He noted that while everyone is talking about plug-in electric cars, there are currently few on the roads.

The first moderately priced electric plug-ins, the Chevrolet Volt and the Nissan Leaf, are scheduled to arrive in Rhode Island showrooms at the end of next year. Both cars are being rolled out in California in December.

“The point right now is to build this infrastructure ahead of the vehicles being available,” said Al Dahlberg, president of ProjectGetReady, a unit of the Rocky Mountain Institute. “If people know where the charge points are, [they will buy and] use their electric cars.”

He said electric cars are cleaner for the environment and lessen our reliance on foreign oil.

He said a network of charging stations would increase consumer awareness and relieve range anxiety. Consumers are nervous about driving far afield unless they can be sure of being able to recharge their vehicles on the road.

And while it takes a few hours to fill an electric vehicle using a household current of 120 volts (fine for overnight charging), charging stations that offer 200 or so volts, such as the unit at Cardi’s, let alone the 480-volt fast chargers, offer much faster charge times. In addition, electric cars will be topped up rather than driven until empty.

Peter Arpin of Arpin Renewable Energy, Norman Cook of the Community College of Rhode Island and Dahlberg came up with the idea of getting charging stations installed and approached Cardi’s about three months ago.

“We want to see the infrastructure built,” said Arpin. “We were thinking about plug-ins and got together with the Cardis. It’s a very visible location, just off the highway.”

Dahlberg said ProjectGet-Ready’s goal was to have 30 commitments to build charging stations by January, with at least that number installed by December 2011.

Made by Coulomb Technologies of Campbell, Calif., the ChargePoint is in the parking lot at the Cardi’s store. It stands about four feet tall and resembles a mini gas pump.

And like a gas pump, the electricity is transmitted via a cable with a standardized nozzle that clicks into the car’s fueling receptacle. On hand was a prototype Nissan Leaf, which is fueled through the hood.

Tina Freches, Internet manager at Inskip Nissan, said the dealership was mulling the installation of the state’s second charger.

Nicholas Cardi noted that Mansions and Manors, a Jamestown real estate company, had expressed an interest in installing one. He added that Bob Tasca Jr., president of the Tasca Auto Group, had been down to inspect the station.

Ron Cardi said the installation cost about $30,000, including the $10,000 price of the unit with additional costs such as the legal fees associated with zoning issues. He said Cardi’s will not charge a fee for the electricity for the time being. In time, a fee will be applied.

Peter Cardi said the local economy would benefit from the additional jobs needed to install and maintain a network of charging stations.

Dahlberg said he sees a need for about 10,000 charging stations around the state in the next few years.

“The whole picture is: How do you get to that place?” said Peter Cardi. “This is the start of it. If you build it, they will come.”

Coulomb Technologies Unveils ChargePoint Network Electric Vehicle Charging Station in New York City

ChargePoint America Infrastructure Program Launches in New York City with Cleaner Air, Jobs Creation and New Electric Cars on the Road

New York City July 14, 2010 – Coulomb Technologies today announced the installation of its first public ChargePoint® Networked Charging Station for electric vehicles (EV) in New York City, part of the $37 million ChargePoint America program. ChargePoint America will offer free stations for both public and home charging to individuals and businesses throughout the metropolitan area. Coulomb plans to install hundreds of ChargePoint Network EV charging stations throughout New York City where they will be used by individual vehicle owners and by fleets. The planning, installation and maintenance of these ChargePoint charging stations will create hundreds of jobs within the city and establish the necessary infrastructure to foster widespread adoption of electric vehicles. Coulomb is working with Ford, Chevrolet and smart USA, all of whom have announced plans to introduce EV in New York in the coming months. The first station is located at Edison Properties – 451 9th Avenue in Manhattan.

The ChargePoint Networked Charging Station will be unveiled at a press conference today at 11:00 AM EST at the Edison Properties garage with New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Coulomb CEO Richard Lowenthal, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan and Edison Properties Chairman of the Board Jerry Gottesman. Also attending the ceremony are ChargePoint America programpartners including Ford and smart USA.

“To meet the ambitious goals in PlaNYC, our long-term sustainability agenda, we will have to reduce transportation emissions by taking mass transit, walking or riding a bike, and increasing the use of alternative-fuel and electric vehicles,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “Coulomb Technologies and the ChargePoint America program will help us support a new type of vehicle on City streets so we can reduce pollution and emissions in the most efficient way.”

“Coulomb is excited to bring the ChargePoint America program to New York City and expand our ChargePoint® Network into Manhattan,” said Richard Lowenthal. “New York will be one of the first cities ready for electric vehicles when the automakers roll them out in the coming months. Installing these stations will impact the City in several ways: First, it will provide jobs to plan and install ChargePoint charging stations around the city. Second, it will reduce carbon emission here, and third, it will give New Yorkers the opportunity to choose a vehicle that reduces our dependence on oil.”

“My district is the epicenter of the childhood asthma epidemic in New York. There are plenty of good reasons for fleets and individuals to make the switch to electric vehicles, but the respiratory health of our children is paramount to me,” said Congressman José E. Serrano. “I applaud Coulomb for getting here first and for recognizing how well-positioned New York is for broad EV adoption. To speed us forward, I have called for the deployment of 24,000 new charging stations across the country in my e-Drive bill—HR 4399. Today, I am happy to see progress toward that goal and toward a clean energy future.”

Coulomb’s ChargePoint America program will provide nearly 5,000 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 the largest established base of networked charging stations worldwide with more than 700 units shipped to more than 130 customers. Installation of the ChargePoint charging stations is beginning now in all nine designated regional metropolitan areas of the U.S.

ChargePoint America will offer both public and home charging stations to individuals and businesses. Businesses in and around New York interested in receiving free public charging stations should visit the ChargePoint America web site (http://chargepointamerica.com) and sign up by completing the application form. Individuals interested in purchasing an EV should sign up to receive more information about qualifying to receive a home charging station. Additionally, the ChargePoint America web site provides a way for drivers to suggest public locations for charging stations.

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. ChargePoint Network’s unique features include:
· Charging status by SMS text or email notification
· Location of unoccupied charging stations via smart phones
· A ChargePoint iPhone App
· Authenticated access to eliminate energy theft
· Authorized energizing for safety
· Smart Grid integration for utility load management with future V2G capabilities

About Edison Properties
The Edison brand has been part of the fabric of New York City for over fifty years. Family-owned and operated, the Edison Properties portfolio helps take the complexity out of living and working in New York – city life made simpler. We are native New Yorkers who truly understand the needs of New Yorkers and have created each of our businesses around this need. For more information please visit http://www.edisonproperties.com.

About ChargePoint America
The $37 million ChargePoint America program is made possible by a $15M grant funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through the Transportation Electrification Initiative administered by the Department of Energy and a $3.4M grant from the California Energy Commission. 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. For more program information visithttp://www.chargepointamerica.com.

About Coulomb Technologies, Inc.
Coulomb Technologies is the leader in networked electric vehicle charging station infrastructure with stations installed in municipalities and organizations worldwide. Coulomb provides a vehicle-charging infrastructure with an open system driver network: the ChargePoint Network provides multiple web-based portals for Hosts, Fleet managers, Drivers, and Utilities. ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations range in capability from 120 Volt to 240 Volt AC charging and up to 500 Volt DC charging. For more information, follow Coulomb on Twitter attwitter.com/coulombevi. To request a charging station in your area, visitwww.mychargepoint.net/request-station.php. To download the ChargePoint iPhone App, click here.

Media Contact
Anne Smith
Public Relations
Coulomb Technologies, Inc.
Tel: 408-313-8089