Electric Vehicle

The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte Becomes the First Urban Hotel in the Southeast to Install a Level-II Electric Vehicle Charging Station

The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte today became the first urban hotel in the Southeast to offer a permanently-installed Level II charging station for use by guests driving electric vehicles. The new multi-power station is located in the front drive of the LEED® Gold-certified property, and supports the hotel’s commitment to environmentally-friendly practices and operations.

Today’s launch of the new Ritz-Carlton (www.ritzcarlton.com/charlotte) plug-in charging station was highlighted by the on-site presence of a Li-Ion Motors Inizio all-electric supercar, designed and built in nearby Mooresville, North Carolina. Li-Ion Motors (www.li-ionmotors.com) is also the creator of the all-electric Wave II, which was on hand for today’s event as well, and which won the 2010 Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize for its original 100% electric design.

While EV charging stations are an increasingly frequent sight across the country, such a prominent presence at a AAA Five-Diamond hotel is noteworthy for the hospitality industry, especially within the luxury sector. “We are thrilled to be able to offer this meaningful and relevant service to our guests,” said David Rothwell, general manager for The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte. “We are also very grateful to be part of a city and state which lead the way in the field of clean energy, and we look forward to providing more such environmentally-focused guest conveniences in the future.”

The EV charging station at The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte is a state-of-the-art bollard-mount CT2101 manufactured by Coulomb Technologies and commissioned by Greenville, SC-based system integrator Thurso Power Systems. The station features two charging ports for simultaneous use. Its 120-volt “Level I” port would typically charge a car from zero to full power in 10 -12 hours, depending upon the vehicle’s battery pack. The station can also dispense a 240-volt “Level II” charge using the industry standard SAE J1772 connector, and this would take approximately six hours to go from empty to full charge, depending on car battery pack. Few electric vehicles are expected to visit the hotel on “empty” and would more likely need to be “topped off”, requiring only 30-45 minutes for a Level II charge. Most new production cars offering all-electric technology feature the J1722 female inlet that accepts a Level II, 240-volt charge.

www.ritzcarlton.com