Coulomb Technologies and Aker Wade Power Technologies Announce Availability and Sale of First Networked DC Fast Charging Station

Now Available: Networked DC Fast Charge Stations. Showcased at The Business of Plugging In Detroit. Magna ECAR Systems Purchases 1st Installation

DETROIT October 12, 2010 – Coulomb Technologies and Aker Wade Power Technologies today announced the availability of their Networked DC Fast Charging Stations for Electric Vehicles (EVs). The ChargePoint® CT3000 family of Networked DC Fast Charging Stations are capable of charging the battery of electric vehicles in half an hour and are designed in accordance with the CHAdeMO standard. Additionally, the companies announced that automotive supplier Magna ECAR Systems is the first customer to purchase the DC Fast Charger for use at its Rochester Hills, Michigan technical center, and will be made available to Magna’s visitors. The DC Fast Charging Station is now on display for demonstration at The Business of Plugging In conference October 12 – 14, 2010 at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center in booth number 7.

“This first public showing demonstrates the best of both worlds from Coulomb and Aker Wade,” said Richard Lowenthal, CEO at Coulomb Technologies. “Aker Wade is known for their industry-leading fast charging technology and Coulomb for the ChargePoint® Network. Together we have collaborated on the industry’s first Networked DC Fast Charging Station. Magna ECAR Systems is a pioneer and paving the way for fast charging worldwide.”

“We are pleased to be the first customer and installation of a ChargePoint DC Fast Charging Station in the world,” said Jim Kane, Business Line Director from Magna ECAR Systems. “The DC fast charging stations in front of our technology center will offer our customers, suppliers, and employees the ability to quickly recharge their vehicle. The heart of the auto industry is Michigan and we are proud to lead by example when it comes to the future of electric vehicles.”

These new Networked DC Fast Charge Stations have been designed and engineered to provide a superior user experience for drivers and a rewarding ownership experience for buyers.  For drivers, our charging stations offer innovative features including an intuitive touch-screen interface, consumer-friendly cable storage and access to the ChargePoint Network.  For station owners, the DC Fast Charger accommodates two connectors, ensuring uninterrupted business in the event of a transition away from today’s connector standard.  The charging stations convert AC 480 Volt, three-phase electric service to the DC CHAdeMO standard.  The station will be qualified for use with several electric vehicle brands including the Nissan LEAF and the Mitsubishi i MiEV.   The Networked DC Fast Charge Station is distributed, marketed and supported by both companies.

“Our DC Fast Charging Stations are user friendly, intuitive and featured with an integrated network that makes it easy to Find, Charge and Pay – three vital components of a viable business model for owners,” said Bret Aker CEO of Aker Wade.  “For the public to accept EVs as a primary transportation, EV recharging must equal the convenience of refueling with gasoline. Our networked DC Fast Charging Stations are designed to meet that demand.”

The ChargePoint Network is open to all drivers of plug-in vehicles and all manufacturers of plug-in vehicle charging stations. ChargePoint Network’s unique features include:

  • The ability for a station owner to set fees for use of their stations (including free charging)
  • The ability for drivers to access stations without a subscription via contactless credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX, and Discover) 
  • 24/7/365 telephone driver support via a toll free number on all charging stations
  • Smart Grid ready with built in Utility Grade Metering, Time of Use (TOU) pricing and Demand Response (DR) control
  • Multiple Smart Phone applications (iPhone and Blackberry) to find unoccupied stations and navigate to them
  • The lowest operating cost possible due to real-time operational monitoring, alerts, diagnosis, and control of millions of stations

Availability:
The CT3000 is now available to order through Aker Wade and Coulomb distribution.  Pricing is available upon request based on custom options and specifications.  Deliveries begin in Q1, 2011.

About Aker Wade

Aker Wade develops and manufactures fast chargers and battery management systems for the electric vehicle and industrial forklift markets.  Founded in 2000 Aker Wade brings a decade of experience as the leader in fast charging technology with more Fortune 1000 customers choosing its solutions than any other supplier.  Aker Wade is collaborating with battery companies, infrastructure suppliers and EV manufacturers to deliver advanced DC  fast charging solutions for the coming generation of battery electric vehicles.  Among the companies Aker Wade is working with are GM, Chrysler, EnerSys, A123, Coulomb Technologies, and Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO).  Aker Wade is proud to design, engineer and manufacture all of their products in the USA.  For additional information please visit www.akerwade.com. 

About Coulomb Technologies, Inc.

Coulomb Technologies is the leader in electric vehicle charging systems and application services, with the ChargePoint Network now operating in 14 countries, and Network Operations Centers in the U.S., London, and Hong Kong. Coulomb provides a vehicle-charging infrastructure, with an open system driver network: the ChargePoint Network provides multiple web-based portals for Hosts, Fleet managers, Drivers, and Utilities, and ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations ranging in capability from 120 Volt to 240 Volt AC charging and up to 500 Volt DC charging. For more information, follow Coulomb on Twitter at twitter.com/coulombevi. To request a charging station in your area, visit www.mychargepoint.net/request-station.php. To download the ChargePoint iPhone App, click here.