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Coulomb partners with Ford, Chevy, Smart to deliver 4,600 free EV charging stations in US
Looks like Australia and Poland were just the beginning: Coulomb Technologies is looking to roll out nearly 5,000 electric vehicle charging stations in the US, effective immediately. If one of those cherry-red push pins is pointed at your neighborhood, you'll likely see the stations popping up at local businesses soon, and if you're looking to purchase a Chevy Volt, Tesla-powered Smart or one of Ford's two new EVs, you can even qualify to have a free station installed in your home. Partially paid for by a $15 million grant from the Department of Energy, the ChargePoint America program won't necessarily give you free electricity to go with it -- that "charge" in ChargePoint has a double meaning, after all -- but we're happy to see the zero-emissions future is finally on a roll. PR after the break.
Ford bringing Microsoft Hohm energy management to Focus Electric next year
It won't be among the first devices to use Microsoft's cleverly-named Hohm energy management system, but Ford has just announced that it will be incorporating the technology into its upcoming Focus Electric car. That makes it the first automaker to hop on board, and Ford even goes so far as to call the move a "needed step in the development of the infrastructure that will make electric vehicles viable." As with other devices, the internet-based Hohm service promises to help car owners determine when and how to most efficiently recharge their vehicles, and help utility companies manage demand as a result -- if enough folks use it, that is. Ford hasn't yet announced any other vehicles that will use Hohm, but the Focus Electric is apparently just the first of more to come, and will be available sometime next year. Head on past the break to see Microsoft explain the partnership.