As electric vehicle charging stations sweep the nation it’s tremendously exciting to see the sparks that may spread into the massive uptake of plug-in vehicles. In the latest ev infrastructure update Coulomb Technologies recently installed the first charging station in San Jose, California. Their Chargepoint features an ingenious design that is easily connected to an existing streetlamp and provides access to the municipal energy grid. As an incentive to try out the new technology they are currently offering access cards for a full year of free charging!
We all know that plug-in hybrids are coming, and coming soon. Currently the Tesla Roadster is probably the most well known example, but we have recently shown a number of vehicles that will soon be hitting the marketplace. And just as fossil fuel based vehicles required a gasoline infrastructure, these next generation vehicles require an energy infrastructure to refuel for those times when one is not at home, or near an available electrical outlet.
We look forward to seeing what comes out of Coulomb Technologies‘ initiative. We’ve already highlighted plans by three Californian cities to install electric vehicle charging points, and we are glad to see such strident efforts to provide solutions to the new paradigm that, we hope, will soon become standard in all of our vehicles. Now if we could only get some renewable energy in those vehicles.
+ Chargepoint
+ Coulomb Technologies
Via Planet Tesla
Does anyone know the difference in emissions from coal burnt to travel say 100km in an electric car to travelling 100km in a petrol car? Or for an hour of city driving?
I don’t know the true number, but I do know it is cleaner. It’s like 12g for gasoline and 7g for coal on the electric grid (of pollutants including CO2). Like I said, don’t quote me on those numbers, but I do know it’s better. Now this all also depends on the coal technology being used, the efficiency of the car etc. and you can always argue that the batteries and the acids etc. make it less attractive. Those that say Plugin Electric cars are Zero Emissions are full of it though, unless that electricity came only from completely renewable sources. But then again, even wind farms/solar/hydro/water aren’t completely clean because of construction, erection etc.
[...] what’s the catch? Well, the main goal of installing the new charging stations is to help the State of California conduct research on electric vehicle charging patterns, habits [...]