Coulomb Technologies, a company engaged in electric vehicle charging station infrastructure, has launched networked charging stations for electric vehicles in Canada.
The ChargePoint networked charging stations available for consumer and fleet use are now installed at the headquarters of rapid electric vehicles (REV) in Vancouver. Additionally, Charge Northwest, Coulomb’s Pacific Northwest distributor, has signed REV as an official reseller in British Columbia of ChargePoint networked charging stations.
Richard Lowenthal, CEO of Coulomb Technologies, said: “Canada is a strategic and important country for deployment of electric vehicle charging stations. There are hundreds of progressive organizations, utilities and government entities that have shown strong interest in laying the groundwork for the necessary infrastructure to welcome EV’s to the market in 2010. Partnering with established distribution names in the Pacific Northwest gives us a distinct advantage to rapidly move forward in our expansion plans. We are proud to be partnering with REV and Charge Northwest.”
The ChargePoint network is open to all drivers of plug-in vehicles and provides authentication, management, and real-time control for the networked electric vehicle charging stations through multiple web-based portals for hosts, fleet managers, drivers, and utilities, the company said.
ChargePoint Network features include: charging status by SMS text or email notification, location of unoccupied charging stations via smart phones, authenticated access to eliminate energy theft, authorized energizing for safety, and smart grid integration for utility load management with future V2G capabilities.
The network of electric vehicle charging stations is accessible to all plug-in drivers by making a toll free call to the 24/7 number on each charging station, or signing up for a ChargePoint network monthly access plan and obtaining a smart card. Other future payment options include using any smart credit/debit card to authorize a session or using a standard credit or debit card at a remote payment station to pay for charging sessions.
Jim Blaisdell, president of Charge Northwest, said: “We have worked closely with REV in the past year to develop strategic relationships within British Columbia. The Vancouver Mayor has aggressive and specific goals about clean air mandates and reducing emissions. These charging stations are the first step to building the infrastructure for the new wave of vehicles that are coming soon to Canada. We look forward to many more installation announcements in the coming months.”