“The Victorian Government is taking a proactive stance to ensure that Victoria can support electric vehicles by creating a necessary test foundation,” stated Jonathan Read, ECOtality President and CEO. “In order to learn how to make EVs a success, the government has joined with ECOtality to take advantage of the capabilities of Blink charging stations, and to gather statistics to make smarter decisions in the future. ECOtality will help ensure that Victoria is one of the leading markets in Australia for the introduction of electric vehicles.”
Through the terms of the contract, ECOtality Australia will assist with the development of Victoria’s EV infrastructure and implementation of 180 EVs to go into operation during the trial. Working with Victorian Government representatives, ECOtality will establish comprehensive guidelines to install EV charging stations and prepare areas for EV deployment.
“Our Government is committed to making this state an electric vehicle friendly place and we understand how important cleaner, greener and innovative travel options are to Victorians. The Electric Vehicle Trial will create real-life conditions by testing how drivers, vehicles, plug-in charging infrastructure and the electricity network will work in everyday situations,” stated Victorian Premier John Brumby, in an earlier release. “This is a real-world test of how these vehicles will operate in Victoria and that means we need Victorians to use electric vehicles and report back on their experiences. This is an exciting opportunity for people to be part of the development of low-emission transport options as we look for new ways to cut carbon emissions and provide greener travel.”
ECOtality Australia will install Blink Level 2 chargers at Victoria residences in the trial. The Blink Level 2 charger can deliver a full charge in two to six hours, and includes smart features, such as programmable charging, that allows the EV to charge when electricity rates are the lowest, and remote operation and control through web portals and Smartphone applications. At commercial locations, Blink Level 2 commercial chargers will be installed as well as Blink DC Fast Chargers. DC Fast Chargers provides the fastest EV charging currently available, and are capable of providing a full charge in less than 30 minutes. DC Fast Chargers are designed for commercial use as they provide a quick charge on the go, and include dual charging ports, color touchscreen controls, and a 42 inch top display for media and advertising.
“The agreement with the Victoria Department of Transportation exemplifies how ECOtality Australia is able to use its leading electric transportation experience to help countries prepare for the introduction of EVs and jump start their electric transportation industries,” said ECOtality Australia CEO, Peter Nimmo. “We look forward to fostering the expansion of electric transportation in Victoria and the rest of the region and being an integral part of the trial.”
The Victoria Electric Vehicle Trial is currently seeking 180 households to take part in the trial by operating an EV for three months each. The Victoria Department of Transport will provide the Blink vehicle charging station, and ECOtality Australia will begin installation in early 2011. Insurance will be provided by the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV). Applications to take part in the trial will open in October 2010, and residents can sign up through the RACV website.
ECOtality, Inc. (NASDAQ:ECTY), headquartered in San Francisco, California, is a leader in clean electric transportation and storage technologies. Through innovation, acquisitions, and strategic partnerships, ECOtality accelerates the market applicability of advanced electric technologies to replace carbon-based fuels.
