UK electronics retailer Comet offers free EV charging [w/VIDEO]
One of the big arguments that EV proponents make against the concept of range anxiety is that businesses and public parking areas can install charging stations allowing drivers to top up when parked. Businesses could even offer free charging as an enticement to draw in customers. Few however, have taken up that challenge. UK-based electronics retailer Comet is among the first to offer free charging for customers at its store in Croydon. The outlet is in a locked box and interested users can request a key from the company via email.
The big question is how many people will use the service and how well will the charge point hold up. If the experiment is successful, the chain will roll out charge points throughout all its stores. Presumably, an increase in sales from EV drivers will be part of that success equation, so if you drive an EV in the area of Croydon UK you may want to demonstrate your support for charging stations with your wallet. The video is after the jump. Thanks to Adam for the tip!
[Source: Youtube, Tech Radar]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ChiaPet 9:58PM (6/12/2009)
OK that needs a retractable cord
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fuel.shy 11:45PM (6/12/2009)
What a terrible font.
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kert 5:30PM (6/14/2009)
It took this guy about 40 seconds to plug in. This needs to happen in 5-10, tops.
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Paul 1:03AM (6/15/2009)
Around 1990 I remember that the Frys store in Santa Clara, CA, and also Hewlett-Packard provided in their parking lot two different EV charging stations. One had a regular 110 socket and the other a more complex socket to be used for cars such as the Honda EV Plus
http://world.honda.com/history/challenge/1988evplus/img/pho_01.jpg
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Dave K. 12:45PM (6/15/2009)
We had extensive public charging here in Atlanta until they took the cars away, mostly @ malls. And you're right, those paddle chargers were 5 seconds max!
We've been trying to get chargers reinstalled but no one wants to assume the liability, the power $ is a total non issue.
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