ECOtality recently announced the start of the mass manufacturing of the Blink Home Charging Stations at the Roush Manufacturing facility outside of Detroit. Today’s announcement follows ECOtality’s weeklong installation celebrations that took place earlier this week in EV Project regions in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Oregon.
"From California to Oregon to Arizona, we are experiencing an unprecedented consumer demand for electric vehicles. We developed our Blink charging stations to fit the needs of EV drivers, and are excited to begin laying the foundation for the infrastructure network that will drive EV adoption in Arizona and across the country," saidDon Karner, President of ECOtality North America. "Together with our EV Project partners we will enable drivers statewide to live the Blink lifestyle, and help drive Arizona towards a clean transportation future."
The residential installations set the groundwork for the deployment and installation of Blink commercial charging stations, including the Blink Level 2 Pedestal Charger and Blink DC Fast Charger. In October 2010 ECOtality announced that the company will install approximately 920 publicly available Level 2 charging stations in and around the Phoenix and MAG region, as well as approximately 40 commercial Blink DC Fast Chargers. ECOtality will also install 230 publicly available Level 2 Blink charging stations in the greater Tucson region, and 10 Blink DC Fast Chargers.
‘This is an exciting day in our region, with this home installation marking the first in a series of steps that will pave the way for use of electric vehicles throughout the region and the Sun Corridor,’ said Litchfield Park Mayor Thomas Schoaf. Mayor Schoaf chairs the Maricopa Association of Governments, which has worked to develop guidelines to support the implementation of electric vehicle infrastructure. ‘We believe that greater use of electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles will complement other regional alternative transportation efforts, such as light rail, bus rapid transit and commuter rail,’ he added.
‘Chandler has always been a strong supporter of innovative technology and regional transportation. We’re fortunate to have citizens that care deeply about our community, and thrilled to know it’s a Chandler resident who has taken the initiative to support sustainability here at home,’ said Vice Mayor Trinity Donovan.
Home Charging Stations are available now to EV drivers and are free of charge to EV Project participants. The smart Blink Home Charger allows for increased cost-savings through improved power management and boasts an intuitive set of features, including a 7-inch color touch-screen control panel, and a stylish, easily configurable design. The units can be installed inside or outdoors at commercial locations, with both hardwire and plug-in versions available. For more information, including product spec sheets, please visit www.blinknetwork.com.
As part of The EV Project, the largest rollout of EV infrastructure in history, ECOtality will monitor the energy usage and output of charging stations to determine a viable method for mass adoption of electric vehicles and empower the smart grid. ECOtality will work with utilities like the Salt River Project, an EV Project partner, to determine how smart EV infrastructure can be supported.
ECOtality is the project manager of The EV Project, and will oversee the installation of commercial and residential charging stations in 18 cities and major metropolitan areas throughout six states and the District of Columbia. The project, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy through a federal stimulus grant of $114.8 million made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), will provide an EV infrastructure to support the deployment of 8,300 EVs. The grants are matched by private investment, bringing the total value of the project to approximately $230 million.
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.
