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Volkswagen will produce its own car batteries and mobile EV chargers
Volkswagen's been trying to claw back its credibility with an ambitious commitment to EVs ever since its $18.2 billion dollar emissions scandal. Its lofty production goals aside, the German manufacturer's latest green move could see it kickstart Europe's car battery industry. In back-to-back announcements, VW said today that it will start building car batteries -- as well as recycling old cells -- and mobile EV charging stations (which are heading to the streets of its hometown of Wolfsburg in the first half of this year). VW is promising to pump $870 million (£754 million) into the venture by 2020.
Wattpark is Airbnb for electric vehicle charging stations
The folks behind Wattpark see an opportunity to bring the gig economy to electric vehicles. They envision a future where people purchase reasonably affordable EV charging ports and install them at home, a business or anywhere they have access to a legal power source, really. Then, the fun begins -- whoever owns the charging station can add it to a network called Book and Plug, and then make it available for other people to use, pricing it however they'd like.
EV chargers have started popping up at UK Shell stations
As promised, Shell is adding electric vehicle charging to its UK petrol stations. "Shell Recharge" is already already available at three locations in Holloway (London), Derby and Whyteleafe (Surrey). A further seven sites across Greater London and Reading will be opened up before the end of the year. Though this is welcome news for EV owners, 10 stations is but a fraction of the 1,000 that Shell currently operates in the UK. The company has a long way to go before it can match Tesla's Supercharger network, or the nationwide infrastructure offered by Ecotricity and Chargemaster's Polar scheme.
London is bankrolling an extra 1,500 residential EV chargers
London is already one of the best places to drive an electric car in the UK, with an abundance of chargers in car parks, hotels and side streets. London mayor Sadiq Khan wants more, however, to shift people away from gas-guzzlers and realise his dream of a zero-emission transport system by 2050. Today, Transport for London, London Councils and the Greater London Authority have announced £4.48 million in funding for new, street-side EV chargers. Twenty-five boroughs will receive roughly £300,000 each to install 1,500 charging points in residential areas.
Shell to start installing EV chargers in UK petrol stations
The UK's EV charging infrastructure continues to grow thanks to a few dedicated players, but the likes of Tesla and nemesis Ecotricity will be joined by an unlikely newcomer later this year. Petrol pusher Shell has confirmed plans to add EV charging points to some UK filling stations -- a move the company has been thinking about since last year. Speaking to the Financial Times, Shell director John Abbott implied denser, urban areas were highest on the to-do list, and a spokesperson told us specific info on sites will be shared ahead of the first installations, which are expected before summer this year.
Honda's new EV charger can draw some of its power directly from the sun
While your new EV or plug-in hybrid is surely green, plugging it into the coal-fired grid may not feel so much like winning. Solar energy is a much better story, though, and Honda has just announced a new exterior, wall-mounted plug-in charger that can work directly with such systems. The charger will switch between standard AC and solar according to the amount of power produced by the sun, and even work during a power outage. It'll also allow smart-card metering for commercial installations, tamper-proof locking and smartphone monitoring via WiFi. There's no timeline or pricing for it yet, but for the chance to stick it to big energy? We can't wait.
EMW kick-starts JuiceBox, a $99 Level 2 DIY charging station
Electric vehicle charging stations aren't cheap: one of the most affordable Level 2 (240V) units sells for $450 and only supplies 16A. Electric Motor Works (EMW) -- which is best known for its electric conversion kits -- wants to change this with JuiceBox, a 15kW Level 2 EV charger that costs just $99 in kit form (plus $10 shipping). The device, which is launching on Kickstarter today, supplies up to 62A and operates on both 120V and 240V. It's built around an Arduino microcontroller and EMW is making both the hardware and software open source. But wait, there's more! The company is also crowdfunding a Premium Edition of JuiceBox ($199 in kit form) which adds time-of-day charging, a color LCD, ground-fault plus output protection (for outdoor use) and a unique enclosure (hopefully as funky as the one in the picture above). While the DIY kits only require basic assembly and soldering skills, you'll be able to buy fully assembled versions for $100 more. At $329 (shipped), a ready-to-use JuiceBox Premium Edition undercuts other similar charging stations by several hundred dollars. The catch? You'll have to supply your own cables (or buy them separately from EMW), including one with a standard J1772 EV connector. Hit the source link below to check out the campaign, and take a look at the PR after the break.
GE launches eye-pleasing WattStation Wall EV charger in Europe
Every EV needs juice, but GE likes to dispense it in style, and it's sticking to that mantra with its new, wall-mounted version of the WattStation. The weather-resistant charging point has been launched in Europe, and is available for your home or business in a buffet of custom colors. The WattStation Wall plays nicely with type 1 / 2 plugs and type 2 / 3 sockets under the supervision of GE's smartphone app for monitoring usage and remote charging. A networked version is also due in early 2013 for businesses that want greater control and billing options through the WattStation Connect platform. The PR mentions it supports connections common to Europe, USA and Japan, so we assume it'll also be sticking to walls outside the Continent before too long. If you're not sold on the design, maybe the saving on garage floor space will persuade you -- unless you're set on a Hiriko, of course.
GE, Urban Green Energy set up first integrated, wind-powered EV charging station (video)
GE and Urban Green Energy might not be the first to install a wind-powered EV charging station, but the two may be the best prepared to take the concept to a grander scale. The partnership just installed the first Sanya Skypump just outside of Barcelona to serve corporate and government drivers with truly clean energy at levels that meet their typically heftier demands. It's billed as one of the first properly integrated wind-powered EV chargers, and it's undoubtedly one of the more elegant: one of UGE's 4K wind turbine towers catches energy from the breeze above, while a GE Durastation tucked neatly at the bottom provides high-voltage charging for EV drivers undoubtedly eager to get moving once again. Don't worry if you don't speak enough Catalan to charge up at the initial location, either, as plans are underway to bring Skypumps to malls and universities across Australia and the US before 2012 is over. The only catch is the frown you'll likely get if you try to plug in a personal car for a top-up -- let's hope the attention swings towards completely green power sources for commuters in the near future.
GE rolls out WattStation and WattStation Connect for charging EVs
GE spent the second half of 2011 teasing its WattStation solution for powering electric vehicles. Now that the company has captured your attention with that slick, Yves Behar-designed "pedestal," it's ready to deliver. In case you forgot, the WattStation Connect is a charging station / software platform developed in cooperation with Hertz that lets EV owners manage the power-up process remotely via a mobile app and the WattStation's three connectivity options: 3G, Wi-Fi and Ethernet. The app, expected to hit iOS and Android in the coming weeks, also help users locate stations and lets them virtually pay for juicing up their vehicles. While the charging platform will work its way into the hearts and homes of those who own an EV, GE will also deploy this tech to retailers and fleet owners looking to zero in on their electricity usage. It's not yet clear where the WattStations will be or are already available, but GE is apparently ready to start the rollout now. Get the full details in the presser after the break.
Nissan's new charging technology will juice your EV in ten minutes, ten years from now
Nearly a month after unveiling its revamped quick charger, Nissan has now announced that it's working on new technology that would make EV charging... well, quicker. A lot quicker. Developed alongside researchers from Japan's Kansai University, the manufacturer's approach would allow drivers to fully charge their plug-ins in just ten minutes, without taking any toll on a lithium-ion battery's storage or voltage. Nissan says it could achieve this by tinkering with a charger's capacitor -- more specifically, by replacing its carbon electrode with one based on a composite of tungsten oxide and vanadium oxide. Industry insiders, however, say this technology may not reach the commercial level for another ten years -- substantially longer than ten minutes.
Nissan downsizes EV quick charger, slashes price while eying US, EU and Japanese markets
Like a hamburger Happy Meal, Nissan's brand new quick-charge station is fast, cheap and easy, thanks to its tasty new electric circuit technology. Nissan claims the 49kW charger takes up less space, is easier to install and a heckuva lot cheaper than former models, leaving only a ¥1 million yen (or around $10,000) dent in your pocket compared to the former ¥1.47 million (or $19,088) crater. Hoping to sell around 5,000 units and set up charging stations throughout the Land of the Rising Sun by March 2016, Nissan sees the technology rolling out in the US and Europe sometime in the near future -- no toy included. Pull over for the full PR after the break.
Evatran's Plugless Power wireless EV charger gets smaller, conscripts Chevy Volts for testing
When it comes to technology, the old adage of "bigger is better" died a long time ago, so it's not a surprise to see "smaller is smarter" thinking apply to products and prototypes across the board. Today's (relatively) tiny wonder is Evatran's Plugless Power electric vehicle charging system: now smaller, more efficient, and primed for its first trial phase. The last time we saw Plugless Power, the system's wireless charging "station block" stretched nearly the length of a full vehicle and charged at 80 percent efficiency. Today the charge block is only slightly larger than an average hubcap, boasts a 97 percent charging efficiency, and is less picky about your car missing the wireless charger's "sweet spot." Evatran is now working on launching a test fleet of up to 12 Chevy Volts to put the system through its paces, and hopes to expand the tests to as many as 30 vehicles by January. Ready to ditch pumps and plugs forever? Start saving: a complete Plugless Power system (including vehicle retrofitting) will set you back as much as $5000 after production starts sometime in 2012. Don't be too surprised, cool stuff rarely comes cheap -- besides, that old adage has to apply to something, doesn't it?
SolarCity gets in the EV charging game, we're still waiting for our Leaf
Tired of trekking down the 101, just to charge your damn Tesla? Must be rough, but at least SolarCity's looking out for ya, as it'll soon install ClipperCreek's EV chargers in your digs, right alongside the company's residential solar equipment. The $1,500 SAE-J1772 compatible juicers will work with almost any plug-in vehicle we can think of -- including the Volt, Leaf, Prius plug-in, Focus BEV, iMiev and aforementioned Roadster (provided you'll spring for an adapter) -- and being of the Level II ilk, top-up your automobile 5x faster than a 120V plug. Pair that with a solar panel lease, and you'll apparently cut charging costs in-half -- according to SolarCity, anyway. We can't vouch for that, but if it doesn't work you could always try to install something just a tad bigger.
Pininfarina's stunning tree-shaped Antares EV charging station should be more than a prototype
Despite being first showcased in May, Pininfarina's Antares has just slipped across our desks -- and frankly, it's a concept too gorgeous for us not to share. The beautiful tree-like structure -- comprised of steel and aluminum -- supports 20 photovoltaic cells, which the Italians reckon can produce up to 4.6 kilowatts, or just about enough juice to top up two fifty-mile range EVs. That's the plan anyway; we'll supposedly know more later this year, but given Pininfarina's past EV efforts, maybe not. Either way, consider this our formal pre-order request for two -- they'd look perfect right outside Engadget HQ.
Japan trying out roadside service vehicles capable of charging EVs, soothing range anxiety
No matter how hard Nissan tries to convince folks that driving an EV won't leave them stranded on the side of the road gagging for electricity, that pesky range anxiety issue continues to permeate discussions about electric cars. So, what else to do but strap an EV charger on roadside service vehicles? The Japan Automobile Federation is trialing just such a scheme, with a Nissan-built prototype service truck helping to top up electrified transporters that have ended up bereft of juice at an inopportune moment. The trial's gotten its start in Kanagawa Prefecture this week, which, incidentally, happens to be using a Nissan Leaf as its governor's official car. So, even if you do figure out a way to use up your Leaf's entire battery, you get the comfort of knowing you're riding like a governor and that the good men in orange jumpsuits will be there to take care of your problemo.
AeroVironment to light up I-5 with EV chargers, add 'Oregon Trail' to the Green Highway
Retire your oxen and sell your wagon, the Oregon Trail just went electric. Okay, not the real, historic Oregon Trail, but a respectable 150-mile stretch of Interstate Five. The Oregon Department of Transportation is teaming up with AeroVironment to dot an undisclosed number of 480-volt Level 3 chargers between the California / Oregon state border and the Willamette Valley area as part the West Coast Green Highway initiative. The project aims to cover the entire I-5 corridor with electric vehicle chargers, spanning from the tip toe of the Golden State, all the way up to Washington's hat. Oregon's leg of the project should be ready for drivers this fall, making roadtrips to the Beaver State accessible to EV owners -- dysentery free. Hit the break for dry, but factual press release.
Los Angeles pilot program offers up to $2,000 off EV charging stations
You can already get a pretty hefty federal rebate on an electric vehicle, and it looks like at least some folks in Los Angeles can now also save a good chunk of change on an EV charging station. LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa just announced a new pilot program this week that will provide rebates of "up to $2,000" on home EV charging stations -- to the first 1,000 applicants, that is. That will apparently be expanded soon enough, however, with the city promising to begin accepting additional applications on May 1st, and eventually cover up to 5,000 EV chargers. Those receiving the rebate will also be required to participate in the LADWP's Residential Time-of-Use Rate that offers discounts for charging during off-peak hours, and the city will monitoring charging patterns in an effort to determine how to best allocate resources. Head on past the break for the full press release.
Amsterdam orders 125 public EV charging stations, hastens the death of internal combustion
Amsterdam is known for its affinity for two-wheeled transportation, but the cycling-crazed city is also making a serious commitment to EVs for those Dutch who prefer driving. As a part of a plan introduced two years ago to eliminate internal combustion from its streets by 2040, the Netherlands' capital is looking to add to its existing 100 EV charging stations. The City Council has charged Dutch power company Essent with the installation of an additional 125 public plug-in points this year, with the possibility of adding 625 more. These new chargers may make it easier to juice up your electric car, but given the current price of EVs, we aren't sure how many Amsterdam residents will trade in their Kalkhoffs for Fiat 500s and Smart ForTwos. PR's after the break.
Ford makes list of the 25 most EV-friendly cities, still likes selling cars to residents elsewhere
So, you saw a Volt, Leaf, or Focus Electric and were convinced to go green, but are unsure whether your local municipality is as eco-friendly as you are. Well, Ford has done your homework for you (without even demanding your lunch money in return), and identified the "25 Most Electric Vehicle-Ready Cities" in the US. What makes a metropolis worthy of such status in the eyes of the Blue Oval boys? A utilities structure that allows off-peak charging, for starters, plus reduced red tape for getting your EV permits and inspections, incentives for offsetting up-front customer costs, urban plans for charging infrastructure, and EV-friendly city advisory committees. If your town's lacking in those areas, perhaps it's time to give your city council a ring -- part of being an eco-warrior is political activism, right? PR's after the break.
