charging stations

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Spain Might Convert Phone Booths to Charging Stations

September 17, 2009 in EVs by kristen | No comments

In their efforts to install 500+ electric car charging stations throughout Madrid, Barcelona, and Seville, the Spanish government is looking into converting 30 public phone booths to recharge EVs. The booths are close the curb, making it a short stretch for a charging cord, and they’re already wired for electricity to power the phones.

It may cramp Superman’s quick-changing style, but the phone booths in Madrid weren’t fully enclosed anyway, making them even easier to adapt for charging. Nothing’s official yet, but it would be a sweet spot monetarily and ecologically if Madrid can repurpose its existing infrastructure for new technologies.

Oregon and Mitsubishi Partners in Charging

April 27, 2009 in Biz News, EVs, New Tech, PHEVs, small cars by kristen | 1 comment

Kulongoske and i MiEV

Ted Kulongoski, Governor of Oregon, John Koenig of Mistubishi Motors North America, and Jim Piro, head of electric utility PGE all took the podium on Earth Day to announce Oregon’s partnership with Mistubishi to establish a statewide network of charging stations. Presumably, these stations will be used by Mitsubishi’s i MiEV fleet when they come to Oregon for testing later this year.

Piro and Kulongoski both interated that Oregon is moving away from fossil fuel power, with the idea of emissions-free driving at the source and from the tailpipe (metaphorically, of course. EVs don’t have tailpipes). The region PGE serves is already number one in purchasing renewable power, so it seems hearts and minds of its customers have already been won over.

Kulongoski also said he was working with the federal Department of Transportation on greening the interstates. He’d like to see quick chargers at rest stops along Interstates 5 and 84 in Oregon, and apparently the U.S. government hasn’t shut down the idea completely.

Image of Gov. Kulongoski with i MiEV and charger by Kristen Hall-Geisler.

Oregon Charges Ahead in Standardizing Plug-In Parking

April 6, 2009 in EVs, New Tech, PHEVs by kristen | 2 comments

The state of Oregon issued an RFP (request for proposals) last week asking for companies that make public electric-car charging stations to submit their systems for consideration in the state’s green transportation plans. The state already has a bunch of stations, mostly in the Portland metro area, but it wants to increase that number to hundreds and spread the EV love as far and wide as possible.

The Oregon Department of Transportation was authorized to ramp up the curbside charging program last November, including standardizing the look, performance, and safety of the chargers. Also, they’d like to buy in bulk to make things easy, so charging stations built by hand in the family garage likely aren’t going to cut it.

The chargers won’t be limited to curbside parking. ODOT envisions them at park-and-ride locations, retail parking lots, and motor pools, among others. Of course, Good Green Cars already covered the unveiling of a curbside charger in Oregon City last fall.

Nissan’s EV Network at Fast Food Joints

March 4, 2009 in Consumer News, EVs, Future Cars by kristen | No comments

Nissan North America wants to put fast food to good use — by starting a nationwide EV charging network in their parking lots. (Seems like Sweden is leading the way here.) The way Nissan figures, 30 minutes on a commercial charger (rather than you 110V outlets at home) could give batteries up to an 80% charge. That’s about the time it takes to order, take a seat, get your food, scarf it down, and make a quick trip to the rest room before continuing on your merry, electrified way.

Customers would pay for the electricity at the curbside charger with a credit card. Drivers who need to top off for free might be able to do so at Nissan dealerships. The company is asking its sellers to install recharging stations as a courtesy for drivers just passing through.

Why does Nissan care so much? Well, they’ve got plans to get a five-seat EV sedan with a 100-mile range into showrooms by 2012. Without an easy-to-use infrastructure, the venture may be dead in the water. The company hopes the charging network will expand to workplace parking and shopping center parking, like malls and movie theaters. Maybe theaters could bring back the double feature so movie-goers can get a full charge.

Swedish McDonald’s to Charge EVs

February 18, 2009 in Consumer News, EVs by kristen | 2 comments

Swedes will soon be able to offset their guilt at supporting big agribusiness and cultural hegemony by charging their electric vehicles while they eat at McDonald’s.

The company is buying bright-yellow curbside charging stations with the red-and-gold arches logo for customers to use, though the system will be run by the national grid. Each charger supplies 230 volts, which is enough power to charge up one of the EVs currently on the market in under an hour.

The first McPowerstation, as I’m sure they are not called, will be installed in the next few months. No word on how much — or if — customers will pay for the electrons fueling their cars.