Coulomb Technologies Announces Largest Electric Vehicle Workplace Charging Installation at Google, Inc.

Press Release Source: Coulomb Technologies On Thursday June 9, 2011, 1:15 pm EDT

CAMPBELL, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Coulomb Technologies today announced that Google, Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG - News) has deployed more than 70 electric vehicle charging stations managed by the ChargePointR Network at its worldwide headquarters in Mountain View, CA. The charging stations are used by employee-owned electric vehicles, as well as the company’s growing car sharing program for Googlers (GFleet), which includes Chevrolet Volts and Nissan LEAFs. With plans for 250 more charging stations on its campus, and a goal to make 5 percent of its campus parking EV-ready, Google’s installation is the largest workplace charging installation for electric vehicles in the country. Google has created a video on their Green Blog detailing their green transportation initiatives.

“By investing in new, green transportation technologies, Google is making a significant contribution to reducing our own greenhouse gas emissions,” said Rolf Schreiber technical program manager, Electric Transportation, at Google. “Our EVs and charging stations are part of our broader green transportation system that includes biodiesel shuttles that Googlers use to commute to work instead of driving their own cars. But we’re only one company among many, so we hope our green transportation initiatives serve as a model for other companies to incorporate sustainability programs into their own workplaces.”

Google manages its charging stations via the ChargePoint Network, the world’s largest network of charging stations and EV charging applications. The following workplace charging features are available through Coulomb’s ChargePoint Network:

Controlled access: Via an online portal and smartcards, customers can control who accesses their charging stations (employees or guests), to control costs, eliminate electricity theft, and optimize station use. Measuring performance of green initiatives: Online station management provides tracking and reporting of energy usage, greenhouse gas and gasoline savings data. Reports are displayed by graphs that can be filtered by day, week, month, station attributes and energy usage/GHG range. Customers can also export their station data and combine the data with other system for further corporate sustainability analysis. Network Operations: The ChargePoint Network provides 24/7 station network monitoring to ensure network services are always available, Over the Air (OTA) station software upgrades to accommodate future advancements without onsite service, and the ability to tie into energy, building and other business management systems. Driver Services: Customers have access to the ChargePoint Network’s 24/7 driver telephone assistance, e-mail or text message driver notification alerts for charging session interruption or charging completed, and individual driver portals to customize notifications, track their energy usage and greenhouse gas savings, view charging history, and have access to the largest network of public charging stations in the world at www.mychargepoint.net. Cost-saving utility programs and incentives: Charging stations contain utility-grade meters and the ability to communicate with other smart grid systems, enabling demand response, time-of-use pricing, and other smart grid programs provided by local utilities.

“Google continues to drive innovation and leadership in the workplace. The results of their clean transportation efforts are remarkable, taking the equivalent of over 2000 cars off the road every day,” said Bret Sewell, Coulomb Executive Vice President. “We are proud that the ChargePoint Network plays a key role in this success by providing Google a complete electric vehicle charging solution.”

The company has been working over the last several years to deploy and experiment with new green transportation technologies.

In 2007, Google launched RechargeIT, an initiative aimed at accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles. Google’s biodiesel campus shuttles use the latest clean diesel technology, reducing emissions 80 percent over engines from just a few years ago. Placing solar panels on buses to provide pre-cooling without having to run the engines. More than 3,000 Googlers ride a shuttle bus to the company’s Mountain View headquarters every day. Google’s ChargePoint workplace charging system encourages more and more employees to commute using electric transportation.

About Coulomb Technologies, Inc.

Coulomb Technologies is the leader in electric vehicle charging solutions, with charging systems and application services delivered by the ChargePoint Network. The ChargePoint Network provides web-based portals for Hosts, Fleet Managers, Drivers, and Utilities. The open-system driver network went live in January 2009 and now operates in 14 countries with Network Operations Centers in the U.S., UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany and Hong Kong. Coulomb’s ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations range from 120 to 240 VAC charging up to 500 Volt DC fast charging with more than 4000 stations shipped worldwide. For more information go to: www.coulombtech.com. Follow Coulomb on Twitter: twitter.com/coulombevi. Download the ChargePoint iPhone App. Download the ChargePoint Blackberry App.

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Mobile chargers set to help stranded EV owners

AFP Relax?–?Thu, Jun 23, 2011

The AAA, America's largest roadside assistance organiaation, is to roll out a fleet of mobile charging units to help stranded electric vehicle owners.

The motor club recently announced that it has completed a fully-functional electric vehicle charging unit, which will be deployed to its roadside assistance operations.

The unit is set to be fully unveiled in July and will be in action on US roads later in the summer, a spokesperson for the AAA said.

As a level two and three charging unit, it will be capable of "fast-charging" electric cars quicker than a normal household outlet -- level two charging can fully charge a battery in 4-6 hours but level three chargers can fill a battery to 80 percent in less than 20 minutes, although it's not compatible with all types of vehicle.

The units will be rolled out to California, Oregon, Washington, Florida, Tennessee and Georgia, according to reports.

Running out of battery in an electric vehicle is complicated by the fact that they cannot be "towed" in the traditional sense -- theoretically, turning the wheels independently could feed power back into the car (recently proved by a Dutch experiment which proved popular on YouTube).

Instead, electric vehicles must be recovered by a truck, adding expense and making running out of gas considerably more inconvenient.

AAA's move follows an announcement earlier this month by Nissan and the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) which confirmed that the parties were working together to test a mobile charging roadside assistance vehicle.

At the time, Nissan said that the new charger would help to build confidence in mobile EV use.

http://www.aaa.com

Dapat bang i-boycott and lahat ng produktong galing China?

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Electric-vehicle chargers arrive at Nashville hotel

Nissan?s electric-vehicle-charging partner unveiled a charging station in Nashville on Monday at the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel, the first of a network of public chargers the company intends to have in place in Tennessee by the end of the year.

California-based ECOtality Inc. has a contract to install residential, commercial and public chargers in six states under the federally funded EV Project, which uses grant money to pay for the manufacture and installation of the devices.

By year?s end, ECOtality will have about 2,500 chargers installed in Tennessee, although most will be at the residences of people who have bought qualifying electric vehicles such as the new Nissan Leaf, the company said. The grant will pay for the chargers, which cost up to $2,000 each for a residential installation.

The Loews site has four chargers in the hotel parking garage in spaces marked for ?Electric Vehicles Only,? and since they were turned on late last week, ?We?ve already had two Leafs come in to recharge,? said Loews manager Tom Negri.

While there is no cost to use the Loews chargers, the garage?s parking rates run as high as $4 per half hour, so the chargers are most likely to be used by electric-vehicle drivers who are guests of the hotel, ECOtality officials said. Some local rental-car companies have placed orders for the Leaf, and it?s expected that some renters would be out-of-town visitors who would stay at hotels that have chargers available, said Stephanie Cox, ECOtality?s area manager for Tennessee.

Depending on the state of charge in a car such as the Leaf, the vehicle could be recharged at one of the company?s BLINK public chargers in one to three hours, she said. The company also will install fast chargers along the interstates connecting Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga to accommodate travelers. Those can top off a Leaf battery pack in a little more than a half-hour.

Lebanon-based Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores has agreed to install the fast chargers at some of its interstate highway locations, and others will be positioned at places such as fast-food restaurants and convenience stores, ECOtality said.

The slower chargers will be installed at ?restaurants, malls and shopping centers ? places where people might stay for up to three hours,? Cox said.

But most charging will be done overnight at home by owners of the Leaf, the new Chevrolet Volt and other electric cars, ECOtality said. The company already has installed about 1,200 home chargers in the areas where the Leaf is on sale. Besides Tennessee, that includes California, Washington, Oregon, Arizona, Texas and the District of Columbia.

The Tennessee Valley Authority, which provides most of the electricity in Tennessee, can handle charging ?millions of cars? in the overnight, off-peak hours without affecting reliability, said James Ellis, senior manager of transportation and infrastructure for the federal utility.

The public chargers, which are expected to be used mostly during the day, will ?help relieve range anxiety? felt by electric-vehicle operators, he said.

The Leaf can go up to about 100 miles on a full charge, but when its batteries run down, it must be connected to an external charger, unlike the Chevrolet Volt, whose small gasoline engine onboard can recharge its batteries.

Operating a car such as the Leaf costs about 3 cents a mile under TVA?s current power rates, Ellis said.

Besides qualifying for free home chargers, early Leaf buyers can get up to $10,000 in federal and state tax rebates toward the car, which begins in the low $30,000s. The federal credit is $7,500, and there is a $2,500 Tennessee credit for the first 1,000 electric-vehicle buyers.

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Electric Vehicle Charging Ecosystem Presents Opportunities

Press Release Source: Ernst & Young On Tuesday June 14, 2011, 8:01 am EDT

LONDON, June 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The electric vehicle (EV) charging environment represents a diverse set of market opportunities, although significant risks remain, according to new report, Beyond the plug: finding value in the emerging electric vehicle charging ecosystem, released today by Ernst & Young.

The research analyzed 143 companies in the EV charging ecosystem and, from this analysis, identified five emerging business strategies offering distinct value propositions in the future EV charging market. These business strategies are at different levels of complexity within the EV value chain and consequently, bring different risks and rewards to the participants, as analyzed in the report.

Jean-Francois Tremblay, Ernst & Young Advanced Powertrain Team Leader says: "The rise of EVs will stimulate the development of a vast amount of new infrastructure, particularly charging stations, and will provide the platform for innovative services and business models. Although the deployment of this infrastructure undoubtedly represents a market opportunity, commercial viability of the charging infrastructure and support services industry is vital to a sustainable EV market."

The current state

The charging infrastructure necessary to stimulate widespread adoption of EVs in the marketplace remains to be built. Governments, for example those in Germany, China and the United States, are increasingly making funds available for the development of charging infrastructure. The 36-month "EV Project" in the United Sates is one of the largest initiatives to date supporting vehicle electrification and charging infrastructure. A European Commission ?"Green eMotion" project, is working with 42 partners from industry, the energy sector, EV manufacturers, municipalities, universities and research institutions, to develop a commonly accepted framework consisting of interoperable and scalable technical solutions in connection with a sustainable business platform.

Risks remain

Although opportunities are evident, the report also identifies a number of risks. A key risk is that, while most companies advertise that they offer solutions for a wide range of customers – from utilities to car rentals, to hotels and home users – many lack a differentiated solution raising questions about the sustainability of competitive advantage and convincing revenue models.

It is also apparent that, while being a fast-mover is critical, this does not necessarily secure market share. For instance, manufacturing charging hardware will rapidly become a high-volume, low-margin business. In addition, several players have not considered the role vehicle manufacturers and energy utilities will play in this emerging ecosystem, and until these two central stakeholders decide where they want to sit, a stable value chain is unlikely to emerge.

Jeff Henning, Ernst & Young Global Automotive Markets Leader comments: "Government and industry players both see scale and interoperability as a key to a successful roll out. However, to implement an appropriate EV charging infrastructure does not necessarily mean mandating an outlet at every street corner. It means creating an industry where the economics are profitable and self-sustaining to justify the investment as the market develops."

Looking forward

Henning concludes, "The growth of the EV charging infrastructure is set to be an exciting chapter in the vehicle electrification process. We're committed to analyzing the transformation as the market evolves and supporting our clients as they assess the risks and rewards."

Insights from Beyond the plug will be a part of the dialogue at Ernst & Young's 2011 Global Cleantech Ignition Sessions, a series of executive roundtables hosted by the firm's Global Automotive and Global Cleantech Centers that focus on the actions necessary to accelerate a broad adoption of EVs. The US event takes place tomorrow, Wednesday, June 15 in Detroit, Michigan.

Notes to editors:

How Ernst & Young's Global Automotive Center can help your business
The global recession reset the automotive industry landscape. As the industry recovers, automotive companies across the value chain must focus on profitable and sustainable growth, financial and operational stability, investments in new technologies and seizing opportunities in high-growth markets. If you lead an automotive business, you need to anticipate trends, identify implications and make informed decisions that support your business goals. Our Global Automotive Center enables our worldwide network of more than 7,000 industry focused assurance, tax, transaction and advisory professionals to share powerful insights and deep sector knowledge with businesses like yours. These insights, combined with our technical experience in every major global automotive market, will help you to accelerate strategies and improve performance. Whichever segment of the automotive industry you are in — from component suppliers to commercial or light vehicle manufacturers or retailers — we can provide the insights you need to realize your potential today and tomorrow.

About Ernst & Young

Ernst & Young is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. Worldwide, our 141,000 people are united by our shared values and an unwavering commitment to quality. We make a difference by helping our people, our clients and our wider communities achieve their potential.

Ernst & Young refers to the global organization of member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. For more information about our organization, please visit www.ey.com

This news release has been issued by EYGM Limited, a member of the global Ernst & Young organization that also does not provide any services to clients.

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Electric vehicle charging comes to Laguna Beach

LAGUNA BEACH – Electric car owners welcomed the opening of two charging stations in downtown, the first open to the public in the city.

City officials and drivers from around Orange County attended a ribbon cutting for the charging stations Tuesday afternoon. Managed by ChargePoint America, a program that connects charging stations with a wireless network, the city paid $21,500 with $15,000 coming from a U.S. Department of Energy grant.

Tesla owner Andrew Castellano fuels up at the ChargePoint charging station with Michael Jones, whose company Coulomb Technologies manufactures the stations.CLAUDIA KOERNER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

"It meets with our value system in terms of the environment," Mayor Toni Iseman said. "It was the right thing to do, especially with the split."

Parking and charging at the two spaces in the lot at Forest Avenue and Laguna Canyon Road will be free until at least September, though time will be limited to four hours.

"Then we're going to take a look at the data and how we move forward," said Will Holoman, a senior water-quality analyst with the city who coordinated the project.

The stations are the first in Laguna Beach, and Holoman said depending on use, the city could add more.

"It's the beginning of a new era," he said.

Locals who drive electric likely will stick to their home charging stations, but Laguna Beach resident and Tesla owner Andrew Castellano said he's happy to see infrastructure growing.

"Someday I'd love to take the car to San Francisco or take a longer road trip. Having the charging stations would make a huge difference," he said.

Matt Walton of Moorpark in Venture County brought his electric Mini Cooper to Laguna Beach. Using ChargePoint's smartphone application, he could check the status of the charging stations before leaving home.

"I drove down here knowing I could come down and charge," he said.

For Steven Kettner of Irvine, the new charging station will make his family more likely to spend time in Laguna Beach.

"If I'm low on charge, I can still come down here and not have to worry about getting home," he said.

Charging stations have long been in Costa Mesa and Anaheim. Seal Beach took out its old charging stations in 2005 because of lack of use, but with more electric cars now on the road, officials there voted in January to reinstall two stations and add another. Linda Nicholes, a longtime member of advocacy group Plug In America, said south Orange County has historically not been as accessible to electric vehicle drivers.

"This part of the county just has been vacant when it comes to charging infrastructure," she said.

About 10 electric car owners brought out their vehicles Tuesday to try out the new Laguna Beach stations.

"It's really fantastic to see this and just to emphasize how much we need infrastructure," said Michael Jones of Coulomb Technologies, which manufactures charging stations for ChargePoint.

The company is working with $37 million from the Department of Energy to build 5,000 charging stations around the country.

"At the end of the day, this is about building an industry," he said. "It's local. It's sustainable."

Contact the writer: ckoerner@ocregister.com or 949-454-7309

 Tesla owner Andrew Castellano fuels up at the ChargePoint charging station with Michael Jones, whose company Coulomb Technologies manufactures the stations.CLAUDIA KOERNER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

LAGUNA BEACH – Electric car owners welcomed the opening of two charging stations in downtown, the first open to the public in the city.

City officials and drivers from around Orange County attended a ribbon cutting for the charging stations Tuesday afternoon. Managed by ChargePoint America, a program that connects charging stations with a wireless network, the city paid $21,500 with $15,000 coming from a U.S. Department of Energy grant.

"It meets with our value system in terms of the environment," Mayor Toni Iseman said. "It was the right thing to do, especially with the split."

LAGUNA BEACH – Electric car owners welcomed the opening of two charging stations in downtown, the first open to the public in the city.

City officials and drivers from around Orange County attended a ribbon cutting for the charging stations Tuesday afternoon. Managed by ChargePoint America, a program that connects charging stations with a wireless network, the city paid $21,500 with $15,000 coming from a U.S. Department of Energy grant.

"It meets with our value system in terms of the environment," Mayor Toni Iseman said. "It was the right thing to do, especially with the split."

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FedEx's electric vehicle guru receives Aspen Institute fellowship

With crude oil hovering around $100 a barrel, it doesn't take a math whiz to figure out a company with 40,000 trucks on the road will live and die by the efficiency of its fleet.

But determining the best mix of vehicles, when to deploy hybrid and electric trucks versus sticking with diesel burners, that's where Memphis resident Keshav Sondhi comes in.

Associated Press files

FedEx added its first all-electric parcel delivery trucks to its U.S. fleet in 2010. As the company's chief engineer of global vehicles, Keshav Sondhi decides where such trucks will be used.

Photo courtesy of FedEx

Keshav Sondhi says he fell in love with mathematical modeling after he earned a mechanical engineering degree and interned in an auto manufacturing plant. "What I do today is almost like a dream job," he says. "I love vehicles, and I get to add mathematics into it."

As chief engineer of global vehicles at FedEx Express, Sondhi is the No. 1 number cruncher and organizer of a push to electrify short-haul transit.

His expertise is in demand at events and conferences like Fortune Brainstorming Green 2010 conference, and Sondhi has attracted the attention of prestigious think-tank the Aspen Institute.

Sondhi, 39, has been named to a First Mover Fellow by the institute's Business and Society program. The 19 fellows, representing companies such as Google, Cisco and Green Mountain Coffee, will gather in late July to collaborate, network and hone leadership skills.

EMBARQ, the World Resources Institute Center for Sustainable Transport, supported Sondhi's nomination for the fellowship because of his work with public transit officials in smog-plagued Mexico City.

"Keshav is one of the experts FedEx has lent to us on several occasions," said EMBARQ spokesman Ethan Arpi. "He knows every type of vehicle technology there is and what type of vehicle is most effective in reducing pollution."

A native of Nepal, Sondhi has lived in Memphis since 2005. He is responsible for strategic fleet plans and program manager for electric vehicles.

Part of his job is to determine when and where the company should replace a traditional truck with a considerably more expensive alternatively powered vehicle.

FedEx Express has 364 hybrid-electric vehicles, including at least three in Memphis, and 19 all-electric vehicles stationed around the world.

Sondhi said, "We have our eye on what type of holistic approach we can take: How can we have a fleet today with an eye on the future? What do we have in inventory today, and looking out a fairly significant window of a decade or so, how will we power the millions of miles we have to put on our fleet?"

Sondhi said he believed the First Mover fellowship reflected FedEx's status as a pioneer and early adopter of hybrid electric and electric vehicles.

"I'm privileged to be part of a great corporation that provides a lot of opportunities and does a lot of motivational things," he said.

Nancy McGaw, director of First Movers, said, "This remarkable and diverse group of innovators shares a commitment and ability to deliver business and social value." She added, "The fellowship helps high potential talent in companies think bolder and bigger and develop tools to succeed as changemakers."

Sondhi became enamored with mathematical modeling after he earned a mechanical engineering degree and interned in an auto manufacturing plant.

"What I do today is almost like a dream job," he said. "I love vehicles, and I get to add mathematics into it."

He was among FedEx officials hosting Energy Secretary Steven Chu during a visit to the Memphis hub in January.

While electrified vehicles make sense on relatively short routes with frequent stops, a diesel-powered truck will be the most efficient vehicle for longer routes well into the future.

"We don't like to operate the same truck on each and every route. We have inner-city routes, New York City, that are very different routes from say, Sheridan, Wyoming," Sondhi said.

However, prices of alternative vehicles are gradually coming down as production volume increases. As the cost of diesel increases, savings add up from lower operating costs of alternative vehicles.

"We can displace a major portion of our fleet with that if the economics really work," Sondhi said. "The capital premium (on hybrids and electric) is significantly larger, and that's why we're trying to work with a lot of manufacturers. We are moving into that segment before anyone else. We're working with practically every manufacturer of electric vehicles in the United States."

-- Wayne Risher: (901) 529-2874

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Electric vehicle debate poses questions about cost

The stubby metal box sticking up at the base of a stone wall in a Fairfield parking lot attracted little attention on a late-spring afternoon, its steady green light offering assistance that was misunderstood.

"I thought it was a station for air," said Tom Sullivan, a Shelton resident who parked his Lexus in front of the electric vehicle charging station at 1451 Post Road.

There wasn't a sign saying what the station was or even that it's free to use.

Sullivan doesn't drive an electric car and none of the three cars parked in the four spaces that the charger's cord could reach were electric.

The charger's one light changes colors when it is in use. It's green when it's available and red when it's not. The station was installed by the town in partnership with The United Illuminating Co. and General Electric Co., which makes the charger.

Anita Steeves, a United Illuminating Co. spokeswoman, said the station was installed for testing purposes. There's no fee for using it.

When Sullivan heard that price, he said, "Where's my free gas?"

Some Connecticut residents are at a crossroad with their automobile as fuel costs have surged. Gasoline prices have run up to the $4- and $5-per-gallon ranges in two of the the last four summers, making driving a burdensome financial undertaking.

Enter electric vehicles, which are becoming a frontrunner in the minds of policy makers and some businesses as part of a solution. Companies including UIL, GE and Connecticut Light & Power Co. have installed or have plans to install charging stations in eight locations around Fairfield County. That's a third of what's planned for the state, according to the U.S. Department of Energy's website.

But, some people, such as Sullivan, are asking who should pay for it and who should develop the infrastructure to support electric vehicles. CL&P has also partnered with towns to install charging stations, which dispense electricity to cars for free. The company bills the towns for the power, according to Mitch Gross, a CL&P spokesman.

While the long-term plan for managing the "fill-ups" of electric cars remains vague, a few residents are learning how to operate them in an environment of somewhat limited support.

"It completely changes your driving habits," said Frank Calder, an Oxford resident.

He and his wife, Linda, were the first people from Connecticut to buy GM's electric vehicle, the Chevy Volt, seven months ago. In that time, they have not stranded themselves anywhere, though if they did run out of electric juice, the Volt comes with a backup gas motor and nine-gallon tank.

"We've gained a lot of confidence in the car," he said. "It's fun to live with."

In the 12,000 miles they've traveled in the car, they've used a total of 3 gallons of gasoline by maintaining a maximum speed of 55 mph and taking trips within the 40-mile range the car can travel on a fully charged battery.

Some other nice features of an electric car? No oil changes, and Calder said the vehicle sends email updates on its charging status.

"It's cute," he said.

If there is a downside, it's in the winter. He said it took longer to heat up the vehicle and that cut into the car's range. But, as a former Duracell executive, he said he fully expects newer and better batteries to come on the market that will address this issue.

The Calders also installed a 220-volt charging station in their garage a couple of weeks ago to speed up recharging. He said they lived with just plugging it into a regular outlet for the first six months, but that took 10 hours to fully recharge the vehicle. Now, it's about three hours, he said.

The one real impediment for wider adoption may be the cost of buying the vehicles.

Starting prices for the Volt top $40,000. The Nissan Leaf, now for sale in some U.S. states, costs more than $33,000 and Tesla Motors' S model starts at more than $57,000. The prices are all before a federal tax rebate of $7,500 for financing one.

Still, the less-expensive Leaf and Ford's plans to boost production of plug-in vehicles will probably provide more access to the technology, which Calder says is worth it for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is that it costs him about $1.92 to go 40 miles. That compares with a current average of $4 a gallon in Connecticut, the American Automobile Association reported on Thursday. The national average is $3.685, about 8 percent lower than Connecticut.

If electric cars become the next dominant mode of transportation, there will be broad implications for Connecticut, home to the nation's second highest electricity prices.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, Connecticut residents paid 17.87 cents per kilowatt hour in the first three months of this year. That's about 59 percent higher than the average U.S. price of 11.24 cents.

The state Department of Energy and Environmental Policy has been instructed to review whether a special rate for EV charging is warranted. There are other implications for our energy system, however.

James Fleming, president of the Connecticut Automobile Retailers Association and a former Department of Public Utility Control commissioner, said dealerships are seeing increased interest in plug-ins. For the buzz to turn into meaningful sales, the state will have to address some regulatory issues.

And "you would need more power," he said.

Electricity rates in the state are determined by formulas that spread the cost of producing and delivering it among the businesses and residents.

"When you get down to it, the ratepayers pay for it," he said.

While the government is looking at EV infrastructure and pricing, the private sector is also getting into the game.

Whole Foods Market has begun installing charging stations at its own expense at new stores. The Fairfield and Darien locations have them.

"We're a little bit ahead of the curve," said Michael Sinatra, a Whole Foods spokesman. "There's not a heavy volume."

Sinatra said the company feels it's important to encourage the use of this technology, so it's investing in the charging stations. It doesn't charge for their use and so far, he said the cost of running them has not generated any financial concerns for the company.

Indeed, EVs are just starting to appear on the roads. As of February, there were 41 EVs registered with the State Department of Motor Vehicles. And while there is a concern about running out of juice, as early as August of 2010, there were more than 50 charging stations planned for Connecticut.

By comparison, there are more than 2.66 million gasoline-fueled cars, 134 natural gas-fueled cars and 94 propane ones in Connecticut, according to the DMV.

But Calder thinks the electric vehicle is here to stay.

"I'm selling my Audi," he said.

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