Thursday, September 1, 2011

More electric vehicle charging stations coming to Tucson

TUCSON, AZ (KOLD) -?Charging up those electric vehicles is getting even more convenient.

Electric-vehicle charging stations are being installed in the parking lots at eight Pima County libraries this summer. The project is among the county's efforts to reduce the use of fossil fuels, provide better air quality and encourage clean technology.

The 16 stations - two to a library – are located in high-traffic areas, mostly in central Tucson and on the city's East Side. They'll be ready for use by electric car operators in early September.

Here is the list of locations getting electric charging stations:

Joel D. Valdez Main Library, 101 N. Stone Ave.Eckstrom-Columbus Branch Library, 4350 E. 22nd St.Himmel Park Branch Library, 1035 N. Treat Ave.Kirk-Bear Canyon Branch Library, 8959 E. Tanque Verde RoadMartha Cooper Branch Library, 1377 N. Catalina AvenueNanini Branch Library, 7300 N. Shannon RoadWoods Memorial Branch Library, 3455 N. First Ave.Murphy-Wilmot Branch Library, 530 N. Wilmot Road

The sites for the charging stations were chosen as part of ECOtality's Micro-Climate planning process, in collaboration with Pima County, Pima Association of Governments and the Tucson EV Project Advisory Team. ECOtality, Inc. is the San Francisco-based for-profit manager of EV Project.

Copyright 2011 KOLD.?All rights reserved.


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Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Ford, SunPower want you to charge that electric vehicle with solar

Summary: The ‘Drive Green for Life’ program makes it simpler for Ford electric vehicle, hybrid owners to invest in solar panels to run their home charging station.


If it galls you to think that your electric vehicle will be charged with coal-generated electricity, Ford and solar technology company SunPower have a proposition for you. The two companies are teaming up on a residential electric vehicle charging infrastructure that homeowners can use to charge up their Focus Electric vehicle through solar means.


The program that the two companies have cooked up is called “Drive Green for Life.” It combines a 2.5-kilowatt rooftop solar system using SunPower panels, a combination that will produce about 3,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year. Or, to put it another way, enough power to drive an electric vehicle for about 1,000 miles per month.


The system is compatible with the charging technologies being used by the Focus Electric vehicle series, as well as the C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid line that Ford expects to roll out in 2012.


The companies say that after federal tax credits, a homeowner could expect to pay about $10,000 for a typical installation; SunPower has developed a series of financing options to help make the idea a bit easier to swallow from a cost standpoint. You can buy the 240-volt charger for the Focus Electric at Best Buy. There is also a 25-year warranty on the panels. The program will cover all 19 markets in the United States where the Focus Electric is being introduced.


Heather Clancy is an award-winning business journalist with a passion for green technology and corporate sustainability issues.


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Toyota Selects Leviton as an Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment Provider





FYI: Toyota Buyer's Guide


TORRANCE, CA:Aug. 10, 2011: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. (TMS) today announced that Leviton has been selected as an approved Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) provider for Toyota customers and dealers.


"Leviton provides electric vehicle charging products and a high level of customer service that will benefit both Toyota customers and dealers when the Prius Plug-in Hybrid vehicles and next generation RAV4 EV come to market in 2012," said Rick LoFaso, TMS corporate manager, marketing for passenger cars.


Toyota is the only manufacturer bringing two battery electric vehicles to the U.S. in 2012 - the RAV4 EV and the Scion iQ EV.? While the RAV4 EV will be available to the public, the Scion iQ EV will be utilized for demonstration program applications only.?Toyota also will bring to market in 2012 the Prius Plug-in Hybrid vehicle, which combines an extended all-electric range for shorter commutes with a conventional hybrid synergy drive for longer trips. ??


Leviton's support includes program management of a certified installation team and an extensive customer service center. Leviton offers a variety of electrical vehicle supply equipment products for commercial and residential use that will offer Toyota dealers and customers an assortment of charging solutions to fit their needs.


Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.


Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. is the marketing, sales, distribution and customer service arm of Toyota, Lexus and Scion. ?Established in 1957, TMS markets products and services through a network of nearly 1,500 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealers which sold more than 1.76 million vehicles in 2010. ?Toyota directly employs nearly 30,000 people in the U.S. and its investment here is currently valued at more than $18 billion.


Leviton


Leviton Manufacturing Company is the largest privately held global provider of electrical wiring devices, data center connectivity solutions and lighting energy management systems. Founded at the turn of the 20th century in America, Leviton has grown to become one of the preeminent leaders in the electrical industry. Today Leviton's product portfolio consists of more than 25,000 devices and systems used in homes, businesses and industry. Proven to be a smart choice, nine out of 10 homes throughout North America have Leviton products installed in them. Builders, electrical contractors and other industry professionals rank Leviton products No. 1 in brand preference.p>


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Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Boulder Installing Public Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

Boulder is installing public electric vehicle charging stations to help cut down on pollution. The two stations are being installed in the South Boulder Recreation Center parking lot. On Monday, the stations will be switched on and made available for drivers of plug-in cars to rent for $1 per hour. According to the Boulder Daily Camera, the city expects to have 40 charging stations installed across town by next year. Some of the planned station locations include the Boulder Public Library, the Pearl Street Mall, the Boulder County Courthouse, the Boulder Municipal Building and city-owned parking garages downtown. Half of the stations will service city-owned vehicles, while the other half will be available to the public to charge personal vehicles. Read more in the Boulder Daily Camera. The following are comments from our users. Opinions expressed are neither created nor endorsed by TheDenverChannel.com. By posting a comment you agree to accept our Terms of Use. Comments are moderated by the community. To report an offensive or otherwise inappropriate comment, click the "Flag" link that appears beneath that comment. Comments that are flagged by a set number of users will be automatically removed.

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Monday, August 29, 2011

The Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle To Debut At The 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show

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Car charging plan unveiled

Driving into the parking lot at Devonshire Mall to charge up your electric car could soon become a reality under an Ontario government plan to spend $80 million to help build electric vehicle charging stations across the province.

"We want to make it convenient and realistic and possible for families to consider an electric car as a real and viable option," said Premier Dalton McGuinty as he outlined details of the plan in Markham on Tuesday. The province will provide seed money to proposals to install and test electric vehicle charging stations from the public and private sector.

According to McGuinty, an electric vehicle is a cost-effective alternative to gas-powered cars. "Investing in charging stations to help Ontarians choose electric and save money; $70 for gas fill-up; $7 for electricity," the premier tweeted following the announcement.

Ontario's plan to spur the prevalence of electric car charging stations would be a boost to the electric vehicle industry as well as the Windsor area's fledgling green sector, industry spokesmen said.

"We would love to get involved in providing solar powered car ports with charging stations in every main parking area," said Klaus Dohring, president of Green Sun Rising Inc. "In a few years, we'll have thousands of electric vehicles," said Dohring, whose Kildare Road company manufactures solar powered car ports housing charging stations. "When you consider how many parking lots we have, it will be much easier to charge the vehicle where the vehicle is parked during the day."

The latest incentive offered by the province would have a "significant impact" on an industry which currently employees about 1,200 in the region, added Dohring.

"Ten years ago in Germany, there was hardly any solar industry," he said. "Today, the solar industry in Germany employs about 200,000 people."

Renewable energy as an industry can become larger than the global automotive industry, he added. "It is clear that our transportation sector is moving toward electrification. It is smart to embrace clean transportation and develop the infrastructure for that."

Ontario already offers consumers incentives ranging from $5,000 to $8,000 to purchase electric cars.

Virtually every major automaker is in the process of launching plug-in electric or hybrid vehicles. Chrysler Group, for example, plans to introduce an electric Fiat 500 late next year.

"Electrification is just one technology that will help Chrysler Group contribute to meeting the new fuel economy standards as well as lower our carbon footprint," said LouAnn Gosselin, spokeswoman for Chrysler Canada. "Market acceptance of electric vehicles and bringing the cost of electrification to an acceptable level to the consumer will be key."

Lawrence Musyj, director of conservation and energy management at Enwin Utilities, said the announcement could prompt municipalities as well as retailers and other private employers to begin installing charging stations on their properties.

"This announcement is great as far as indicating to the public that electric vehicles are coming and that it's time to start considering getting infrastructure," said Musyj. He said it won't be long before electric vehicles, such as General Motors' Chevy Volt, will cross the border.


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Sunday, August 28, 2011

Audi confirms new electric vehicle concept

Luxury German auto brand Audi has released the first images of a new electric concept car.

Dubbed the "Urban Concept," the futuristic concept is seen in sketches released August 10, and the model is expected to be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September as part of a wider study on city mobility.

A lightweight model, the cockpit has been made of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer, which Audi says was the product of a new design process based on the principles of minimizing weight and increasing efficiency.

The design is intended to combine elements of a racing car, a roadster, a fun car and an urban car, says Audi, with a sleek body and large 21-inch free-standing wheels.

Entry to the vehicle is through the tailgate, although the roof can slide back, turning the car into a cabriolet so that the two low-set passengers can get a real feel for their surroundings.

It will be propelled by two proprietary e-tron electric motors, which Audi claims will offer powerful acceleration, and powered by a lithium-ion battery.

The model is expected to be on show alongside other electric concepts such as BMW's i3 and i8, at the Frankfurt Motor Show, which runs September 13-25 in Frankfurt, Germany.

http://www.iaa.de/en/visitors/


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