Green

Electric Car-Charging Network Expands

Ecotality, a Scottsdale, Arizona firm has linked up with Nissan and BP America, securing a $108 million in federal and state grants this summer to build networks of electric car charge stations in major metropolitan markets. The State of California recently meted out $8 million to Ecotality to deploy its network in San Diego, which is one of five designated test regions. The others are Nashville, Phoenix/Tucson, Portland and Seattle.In early 2009, the company also announced a partnership with B.C. Hydro to develop planning guidelines for an electric vehicle infrastructure in British Columbia.

Starting in 2010, Ecotality plans to market 5,000 Nissan Leaf electric vehicles and install 12,750 charge stations in urban areas and at strategic locations on highways. The company will also assess local grid systems, building it network of charge stations in a variety of venues, including parking lots of malls and movie theatres, street locations and garages of large employers. The fast-charge stations will be deployed at 20-mile intervals on major highways around target markets to address ‘range anxiety’ that continues to threaten the electric vehicle market.

A company source stated that Nissan insisted that infrastructure be in place before it commences the selling of its electric hatchback in the same test markets.Other companies pursuing electric car-charging networks are also competing to line up international and domestic customers prior to the 2010 introduction of several commercial electric and plug-in hybrid electric models. The Frankfurt Motor Show 2009 held in September exhibited more electric car infrastructure venues as well as new electric vehicles.