smartUSA names Coulomb preferred charging station supplier
It may not have a starring role alongside the latest electrics from Renault at the Frankfort Motor Show this week like its bigger Better Place competitor, but Coulomb Technologies with its ChargePoint Network is happy to inform the world it's getting a good dose of Teutonic love itself, thank you very much. The company, which has taken to calling itself "the leader in networked charging station infrastructure," has just be named by smartUSA as its preferred supplier of charging stations for its Mercedes-made minicar and will be distributing the equipment through the smart dealer network. It seems as if the original decision to name the charging post a "smartlet" is paying off.
In practical terms, it's hard to say when this affair will really bloom. Although the smart ed (electric drive) is heading for production next month, American arrivals won't likely begin for certain leasing customers until next year and only become widely available for sale in 2012. Still, it's probably never too early to start forming strategic alliances in the emerging electric segment. Look past the break for the official press release.
Gallery: smart ed
[Source: Coulomb Technologies]
PRESS RELEASE:
ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations to be Used for Public and Home Charging
CAMPBELL, Calif.--(Business Wire)-- Coulomb Technologies, the leader in networked charging station infrastructure, today announced that smart USA has selected Coulomb Technologies as its preferred supplier of charging stations for the company`s smart fortwo electric drive vehicles. Coulomb`s ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations for plug-in electric vehicles will be sold through the smart USA dealer network for business, consumer and home charging. As smart USA establishes the sales of its electric drive vehicles, Coulomb will provide charging stations and charge management software, and Coulomb's network of distributors will handle installation, service and warranty coverage.
"smart USA is demonstrating their commitment to reducing emissions and dependency on foreign oil with the introduction of their electric drive smart fortwo," said Richard Lowenthal, CEO of Coulomb Technologies. "We are proud to say that our partnership with smart USA will provide their car buyers with home and public charging capabilities including energy cost optimization, web and smartphone-based charging management services, and high availability through remote monitoring. The adoption of advanced public and home infrastructure is essential for the launch of these electric vehicles."
Coulomb`s stations offer an easy and safe charging system to smart fortwo owners while also providing essential technology such as Smart Grid integration for utility load management with future V2G capabilities.
Coulomb Technologies` charging stations are used in homes, municipalities, office buildings and parking garages to allow consumers to charge their electric vehicles wherever they live, work and shop. Consumers subscribe to the ChargePoint® Network and receive a ChargePoint Smart Card that allows them to charge their car at any charging station worldwide. To locate available charging stations, visit www.mychargepoint.net and click "Find Stations".
ABOUT the smart fortwo and smart USA
smart USA Distributor LLC, headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, is the exclusive distributor of the smart fortwo in the United States and Puerto Rico and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Penske Automotive Group, Inc. The smart fortwo is a brand of and is manufactured by Daimler AG. The company is planning a 2010 entry into the USA market with its smart fortwo electric drive vehicle featuring Lithium Ion battery technology. The vehicle is 8.8 feet long, 5.1 feet tall and 5.1 feet wide and comes equipped with many functional and safety features found in most luxury models. smart is currently sold in over 40 countries, and more than one million smart fortwos have been sold since 1998. For more information visit the smart USA website - www.smartusa.com.
smart and fortwo are registered trademarks of Daimler AG.
About Coulomb Technologies, Inc.
Coulomb Technologies headquartered in Campbell, Calif., offers a family of products and services that provide a plug-in vehicle charging infrastructure, which includes ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations ranging in capability from 120V 16A to 240V 80A AC charging to future 120kW DC charging. Coulomb applies networking technology to the challenge of charging electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids in order to fuel the electric transportation industry. Coulomb's ChargePoint Network www.mychargepoint.net addresses the needs of drivers, utilities, governments, and parking space owners. Follow Coulomb on Twitter at twitter.com/coulombevi.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Keith 6:28PM (9/17/2009)
The appeal of an electric car is being able to plug in at home. The only profit going to the utility at the usual rate as running your lights, TV, etc. Charging stations will be beneficial for those who need a charge away from home, but customers will be paying profit to that company as well for the service. If the companies get greedy or the government gets in and adds its taxes like they do to gas here in Canada, the extra costs will kill the electric car, again.
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Yanquetino 5:27PM (9/17/2009)
Huh. That's kinda odd, if you ask me.
Smart USA opts for Coulomb? I wonder what their parent company, Daimler, would have to say about that, since they have partnered with Tesla to provide the Smart ED's powertrain. After all, the latter's Roadsters are using Clipper Creek charging stations. Wouldn't Daimler prefer that Smart USA emulate what their partners are doing, and use the SAME charging stations as the Roadster? Or is it that Daimler is now going to twist Tesla's arm to switch to Coulomb? Ouch.
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PowerCell 5:37PM (9/17/2009)
Didn't Mercedes sell off their stake in Tesla?
Yanquetino 5:54PM (9/17/2009)
Did they? If so, I have really missed something! I thought that they only sold off 4% of their 10% stake in Tesla to the Abu Dhabi investment fund, and thus still retain 6%.
Chris M 6:28PM (9/17/2009)
Considering the move to standard charging connectors, it will only be a "preference" for Coulomb, and Smart EV users will be able to use any charging outlets from any provider. Same with Tesla, and all the other plug-in makers.
Yanquitino is right, Daimler still has a 6% interest in Tesla.
Doug 10:01PM (9/17/2009)
The unit that Clipper Creek makes for Tesla doesn't have the network connectivity that the Coulomb charging station offers. For public chargers, this has the advantage of allowing you to check to see if a charging station is available before you get there and to bill you for the time spent charging.
Both Clipper and Coulomb are pretty agnostic about the connector. They'll put on it whatever the customer wants, but hopefully by then we'll have a standard.
hsr0601 5:39AM (9/18/2009)
I'm hopeful that the charge network will extend the select districts to nation-wide scale, and this environment can usher in active private investings in EVs.
I remain confident that it could give rise to multiple times as much investing effects, so to speak, some billions, this simple placement, could breed the most-sought energy independence and solid recovery.
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