Coulomb begins worldwide EV domination with ChargePoint expansion to Australia and Poland
By Tim Stevens 
posted May 29th 2010 10:00AM
posted May 29th 2010 10:00AM
Look around you. Are you at an electric vehicle charging station? If so, good for you! If not, that's okay, because the things are still mighty rare. California-based Coulomb is helping to change that, expanding its operations with deals that will see its ChargePoint networked charging stations appear in Poland and in Australia. The Warsaw-based station is powered by juice from 365 Energy, while the Sydney one is being run by GoGet, a sort of Aussie Zipcar, if you catch our drift, mate. They join the 600 stations that Coulomb deployed in 2009 and are part of the thousands the company hopes to scatter about in this year. Both forward-reaching press releases are included for your enjoyment after the break, either of which make for great reading while your Tesla hungrily sucks down the electrons. 365 Energy Selected as Provider of ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations in Poland
365 Energy and partner Zohar Energy start collaboration with POLENERGIA
May 26, 2010 Coulomb Technologies' EMEA partner 365 Energy today announced that Zohar Energy has been chosen by Polish energy company POLENERGIA to support its expansion as a leading provider of infrastructure solutions for electric vehicles (EVs) in Poland. The first ChargePoint® Networked Charging Station was installed in Warsaw earlier this month. The ChargePoint stations are manufactured by US-based Coulomb Technologies.
"POLENERGIA is a leading private energy company in Poland and aims to develop an electric mobility infrastructure," said Artur Zdybicki, president of the management board of POLENERGIA. "We have chosen 365 Energy Group as our partner as we believe that their Coulomb electric vehicle charging solutions offer a number of benefits such as networked station management and billing. We are very happy to partner with 365 Energy Group on our pilot project which we hope to expand across the country."
"We are excited about our first installation in Poland," said Omer Zimmer, Managing Director of Zohar Energy, a member of the 365 Energy group representing the Eastern European markets. "We aim to expand our electric vehicle charging network across Poland and we thank POLENERGIA for its decision to work with us. We are sure this cooperation will be of great value to both sides."
365 Energy is the EMEA's early market leader in providing EV charging infrastructure, which combines significant advantages from both a software technology and end user standpoint. The ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations are equipped with electrical metering and wireless communications capabilities so drivers can get information on the status of the charging station and the charging process online or via SMS. Access to the charging stations is provided via a SmartCard which makes it easier for the user to manage his account. More details can be found at http://www.coulombtech.com/files/eu-ChargePoint-0909.pdf
ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations are developed by Coulomb and exclusively marketed in Europe, the Middle East and Africa by 365 Energy. Coulomb's advanced software technology allows utilities and governments to scale their networks to accommodate large numbers of networked charging stations. The foundation is the development of the ChargePoint Network powered by Coulomb's advanced software technology. The ChargePoint Network is open to all drivers of electric vehicles and provides authentication, management, and real-time control through multiple web-based portals for hosts, fleet managers, drivers, and utilities.
365 Energy Group – Changing the Way People Move
365 Energy Group, with headquarters in Berlin, Eindhoven, Milan and Istanbul, is a pioneer in the e-mobility industry. The company provides innovative charging stations with integrated network technology – a completely new and holistic approach to charging electric vehicles. This technology was developed by Coulomb Technologies, the global market leader in electric vehicle infrastructure. 365 Energy is the international partner of Coulomb Technologies and an investment management company belonging to Estag Capital AG in Berlin.
About Coulomb Technologies, Inc.
Coulomb Technologies is the leader in electric vehicle charging station infrastructure with networked charging 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, and ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations ranging in capability from 120 Volt to 240 Volt AC charging and up to 500 Volt DC charging. For more information, follow Coulomb on Twitter at twitter.com/coulombevi. To request a charging station in your area, visit http://www.mychargepoint.net/request-station.php. To download the ChargePoint iPhone App, click here.
About Zohar Energy
Zohar Energy (Solar) Group is focused on delivering best in class e-mobility solutions to its customers and partners. The company is operating in all CEE markets and in Austria and Israel. The company aims to promote and simplify the market for electric vehicles. Zohar Energy is the sole distributor and a strategic partner of 365 Energy groups in its markets.
Sydney Installs Nation's First Public ChargePoint Networked Charging Station for Electric Vehicles
Australia's first public on-street electric vehicle charging station opens by Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP
SYDNEY May 25, 2010: Coulomb Technologies today announced their partner distributor ChargePoint Australia unveiled Sydney's first public ChargePoint® Networked Charging Station for electric vehicles in Derby Place, Glebe Australia. The station was installed by Visionstream and is managed by ChargePoint AU. The charging station will be used for Sydney's GoGet car share program.
"Electric vehicles have zero exhaust emissions, while car sharing replaces up to 10 privately owned cars for each shared vehicle. Each day more than 700,000 cars travel throughout the Sydney local government area, significantly contributing to smog, greenhouse gas pollution, congestion and noise. Anything we can do to decrease the greenhouse gas emissions caused by motor vehicles is a step towards a healthier city. Together with public transport, walking and cycling, electric vehicles are part of the climate change solution," Sydney's Lord Mayer Clover More said. "Today, Sydney joins other cities including San Francisco, Amsterdam, Philadelphia, Houston, Detroit and Vancouver who all have installed charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. When I was in Copenhagen in December for a Climate Change Summit I committed to working with the NSW Government, car share companies and others to scale up the purchase of electric vehicles. Today is a first step in supporting a cleaner mode of transport."
There are about 3,000 individual members of car share companies within the City of Sydney area, the majority with GoGet, including 500 small businesses. The City provides 120 dedicated on-street car share spaces, four times more than any other Australian city. Worldwide, car share membership has risen from around 50,000 users in 1997 to 550,000 in 2009.
Car share schemes provide a network of vehicles that members can book to use for short periods of time (from one hour to several days). Costs associated with fuel, insurance and maintenance are usually included in the operators' car hire fees.
GoGet co-founder, Bruce Jeffreys said members will be able to drive the plug-in electric hybrid at the same price as the rest of the GoGet hybrid fleet. "It's great to see a plug-in electric hybrid vehicle in a safe and convenient location with a world-class charging station ready to go," said Jeffreys. "We're looking forward to the introduction of additional electric vehicles into the GoGet fleet as demand grows."
Luke Grana, CEO and founder of ChargePoint Australia said the Sydney installation is a public demonstration of the viability of charging stations with preparations underway for a national rollout. "ChargePoint is preparing to conduct charging station pilot programs later this year in Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide. The Glebe charging station will provide behavioral and energy usage data which will be vital for effective and efficient energy management and future infrastructure planning."
Ms Moore said the City of Sydney is investigating the purchase of retrofitted plug-in Hybrid EVs and new EVs for its vehicle fleet, as part of its goal to reduce carbon emissions by 70 per cent from 2006 levels by 2030.
About ChargePoint Pty Ltd
ChargePoint Pty Ltd, with headquarters in Sydney, is considered a pioneer in the e-mobility industry. The ChargePoint Network enables electric vehicle drivers the convenience of charging their battery at home, and public locations including curbside, workplace and shopping centers. Consumers subscribe to the ChargePoint Network and receive a ChargePoint Smart Card that allows them to charge their car at any ChargePoint Networked Charging Station Australia wide. The ChargePoint Network includes charging stations, consumer subscription plans and utility grid management technology for electric utility companies to smooth electrical demands on the grid. For more information on ChargePoint Pty Ltd, visit: www.chargepoint.com.au
About Coulomb Technologies, Inc.
Coulomb Technologies is the leader in electric vehicle charging station infrastructure with networked charging 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, and ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations ranging in capability from 120 Volt to 240 Volt AC charging and up to 500 Volt DC charging. For more information, follow Coulomb on Twitter at twitter.com/coulombevi. To request a charging station in your area, visit http://www.mychargepoint.net/request-station.php. To download the ChargePoint iPhone App, click here.
Meanwhile in Poland and Australia the power companies begin to implement rolling blackouts. Apparently from the times of 5-7pm there is a mysterious heavy draw on the power grid. Authorities are investigating.
@dicobalt
..... wtf....i really cant express how stupid u are. blackouts in poland were like 30-40 years ago.... for 20 years of my life it has never happend again...
@logan444
He means that there will BE blackouts because of so many cars sucking electricity from the power grid.
Countries need to start building more and more polluting power plants to provide power to more and more electricity cars.
The electric car is the dumbest idea ever, instead of powering cars using fuel we will need to build more power plants using even more fuel as power plants pullout more then the cars they power!!
ONLY CO2 engines are the solution not electricity!
@DrScope
Since, these cars use more power than everything else we do. And since our current vehicles run from oil, a substance that we kill eachother over and burned off 40% of the supply that took 5 million years to make.
You're the type of future stopping moron we need to get rid of. What else is a dumb idea, solar power because it puts electric company workers out of a job?
@Failbait
you realize, that either way, this electricity is coming from oil?
it may be more efficient, but this is by no means the future.
@Failbait Before you call me a moron maybe find out some facts first?
Anyway, cars running on electricity still burn fuel to make that electricity, Instead of the car burning the fuel it will be done at the power plant. Big deal. Only CO2 will replace fuel all together, forever, AND it only requires water witch is almost free compared to oil.
If there are test buses in Europe ruining on CO2 so can America do the same. All you need is smart leadership who plans for the future!
@DrScope I might be wrong, but if we can have solar power, wind power and hydroelectrics (yes, I do realize they can many times be harmful for the environment as well, but do have basically no emissions). Then things would be way better, don't you think? Moving a car with solar panels, a windmill or a hydroelectic generators is difficult or impossible, but having the power to charge the batteries coming from it isnt.
@carlosol
How long will these car batteries last? How expensive are they? How do they hold up over time (new they go 200 miles, old they go 70 miles). Charge times for new vs old batteries. What about disposal of this newly massive amount of battery waste? I have never seen anyone answer these questions in a serious way, only with pie in the sky hopes.
Cool?
I didn't think anyone in Australia was stupid enough to have a charge from the grid electric car.
@Sicarius123
Why is it stupid?
@Glitch
Having a crappier car without the "instant charge" petrol gives to pretend to be environmentally friendly in a country mostly powered by coal seems pretty stupid to me.
@Sicarius123
I could very well be wrong, but a coal plant is probably more efficient at producing useful energy than a petrol engine.
@Sicarius123
An electric car powered by a coal plant is still better for the environment than the best gas powered car.
@Nolano And the batteries? Those are made out of giant blocks of special tofu that's Vegan approved I guess? Seriously folks, everyone acts like the only part of the chain is the fuel, conveniently ignoring all the other products going into the manufacturing of the car. Even hugely subsidized an electric car is vastly less efficient to build and more expensive to build then a gas one. And what about all the scarce metals and material that go into these batteries?
Trust me, I *love* cars and love geeky stuff. I *can't wait* for the day I can afford to cover my roof in solar panels, my house is full of efficient bulbs and electronics and kitchen equipment. I turn lights and stuff off whenever I can, I work from home, I don't water my lawn, etc. But some of this stuff just doesn't make sense yet. Someone will come up with something that works, and is good enough to stand on its own without wasteful government loans and grants, but its not lithium or nickel battery powered cars (maybe it will end up being some super-super capacitors, that would be cool). The comments about a poor power grid capacity are also spot on. As someone who used to work in the utility industry I can tell you we couldn't possibly support even a 25% change over to electric cars, even on east coast. Not yet. 5 miles/kw, 12,000 miles a year, 200kw a month (current avg US household uses 920kWh of power) so about a 21.7% increase in power usage per household with an electric car, ignoring charging losses. We are talking serious loads on the grid there.
Honestly, one of the best possible things we could do for the environment, related to automobiles, is to work from home as much as possible, and keep our cars as long as possible. My current car is a 2006 Subaru STI with 52k miles on it, replacing a 1997 geo prism with 180k miles on it. My wife drives a 2000 Honda Civic with 178k miles on it. We drive around 7,500 miles a year, each (this year will be less I suspect). For the math lovers out there, yes the civic saw many more miles then 7500 a year at one point in its life.. prior to working at home. The STI *might* not be the most efficient car (lol) but since I'll keep it 3 times longer, and drive one third the miles of many of the hybrid owners it more or less evens out (and boy is it more fun then a prius. lol).
If we could get even a small percentage of the white collar workforce in this country telecommuting think of the massive reduction in miles driven and fuel used? Why does corporate America resist it so much? Do your shopping locally (farmers markets for food, etc) and online (the UPS guy probably drives past your house everyday anyway. Use the empty space on that truck and use less fuel then you going out to get it yourself from the superstore).
Battery tech just isn't there yet for a car. On a similar topic, hopefully solar tech will really come down in costs and more of us can switch to solar. Anyway, there is my wall of text for the day.
@DrScope
Gas cars can only run on oil products. Electric cars are neergy agnostic, and will keep running fine as we gradually transition to a mixture of nuclear and renewables. You seem religiously fanatical about CO2 cars, but calm down, there's room for multiple technologies.
@dicobalt
The reason you've never received answers to those questions is because you haven't bothered to do the necessary research. You're not likely to run into a battery expert just walking about on the street or commenting on Engadget stories. I can tell you, however, that Lithium batteries are nontoxic, easy to recycle and require no smelting during manufacture or recycling. Most types last 10-15 years, and you pay them off gradually as part of your lease.
@bp968
Actually, the batteries are nontoxic. The lithium carbonate used is refined from a mineral salt. They don't use the toxic heavy metals present in NiMH or lead acid batteries and thus don't require the energy intensive, dirty smelting during manufacture and recycling. Current gen lithium batteries last 10-15 years and can be paid off gradually over their useful lifespan.
Anyway, dealing with these comments has really disappointed me. Seems many people remain pretty ignorant about electric vehicle technology, but are convinced they know everything that they need to.
@Zamboro
I wish Australia would move to nuclear and renewable energy, but the Australian people have been convinced the nuclear boogeyman will get them, and they don't want a nuclear power plant "in their backyard".
As far as I'm concerned current electric cars are about as good for the environment as the recent emissions trading scheme that was recently thrown out which amounted to "here's an excuse to tax people more".
I would think that if you had an electric car you'd make sure you charge it every night or have enough of a charge to get you through your daily commute. The Tesla sedan is supposed to get you some where around 200 - 300 miles on a full charge. That should get the avg person from work and back for a week. With that said I'm just not 100% sure that it makes sense having charging stations all over the place like gas stations. It kind of defeats the purpose of having the convenience of being able to full up your tank at home. And I believe Tesla offers a mobile charging unit as well.
@SanzaBlancoAkA2C People often travel away from home for extended periods of time.
College students living on campus lack the ability to plug their car in, also. Not many college students are driving electric cars at this point, but if they do see mass-adoption, there will need to be a solution.
@pohatu771 don't worry. at this rate of hikes on university fees, no one will be going to college.
Kind of like the one from Epyon better:
http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/26/europe-gets-first-fast-charging-ev-station-hungers-for-more/
The Coulomb ChargePoint! GET IT?!
Not very useful in Australia if tesla will not be sale there cars in this country anytime soon. There is very limited number of EV cars in OZ as of now.
With the lack in understanding of greener forms of power in the country. Australia seems to be a slow up taker. Lacking EV cars with also what cars are out are lacking ranges greater then 300km's this is big issue as large part of Australia travails 40km's to 100km's one way to work. I myself would be all for EV cars but without companies like tesla backing the EV stations this could end in a lost corse.
Sadly testa has been mistaken in thinking Australia is small market for getting the avg. car size in this country is far great in size to the avg. European cars. In turn Australians are more likely to spend a lot more money on a car then the united states or Europe. with avg. prices of $40,000+ per car.
Also EV stations could easily find there powered by solar or wind on site.
In my mind fast food stores should help in this area. With most families happily eating a meal in store for more then 30mins.
With greener power sources on site fast food stores could in-turn have free power and charge customers for food and power cutting greatly down on business running cost and making these EV stations sustainable in the long term. and taking large load off the main grid. Sadly people don't listen.
Also on another note.
I am greatly upset by people in there replies about EV cars and even power as a whole. I myself am not a greenie but feel thinking suitable is smarter and in the long run cheaper.
With the tesla costing less then $2.00 to charge on the grid. With no gears, oil, axles, gearbox or many other breakable parts the car over a year saves in service cost and fuel. what has happened to people thinking smarter.
Has anyone ever been in a shopping centre and walked up-to the escalator and it was moving yet no one was on it. no sensor to tell it to turn off why was sensors not used??. Have we as a human race become that lazy we don't wish to think smart about anything anymore. Tesla if anything has shown us it is posable to have the cake and eat it to.
Companies that think smarter could still make a income off EV cars without the use of oil. Coles and Safeway have fuel stations in most towns. if the supermarkets had roofs of solar power on them customers could foot the cost on there shopping bill with the the companies cutting power cost and making money at same time. employing the same number of people to look after the power grid on each shop as they would in maintaining there fuel stations. WIN WIN
THINK SMARTER NOT STUPID..
I've never even seen a hybrid in Poland.
if they are gong to take the trouble to install a complete new infrastructure , why not have these things :
A: emit wlan.
B: handle some telephone communication
C: let me charge my phone.
D: have a solar panel on them.
E: measure weather.
F: measure pollution.
G:contain computers which can be connected to a huge network.(cloud computers)
H:emit location information so if gps dies in 2012, I know where i am.
ect,ect........ insert lots of other your good ideas below.
if your abut to build a huge infrastructure , and polute the world with hundreds of thousands of (if not millions) of high tech stations, why not make them useful beyond the initial function. It seems like a perfect opportunity to rebuild the entire telecommunications network.