If we’ve heard it once, we’ve heard it a thousand times: EVs and charging infrastructure present a chicken-and-egg problem. This thesis has been the topic of countless EV industry conference panels over the past decade. In recent years, many experts have attempted to declare the issue settled. Back in January 2013, European Union Climate Commissioner… Read more »
Search Results Found For: "Plug & Charge"
Volkswagen brings new plug-in Passat to Europe
Volkswagen is expanding its stable of plug-in vehicles with the new Passat GTE plug-in hybrid. The VW Group now offers no less than ten plug-ins: the Audi A3 e-tron, Q7 e-tron and R8 e-tron; the Porsche Cayenne and Panamera S E-Hybrids; the Golf and Passat GTE plug-ins, the low-volume XL1, and the battery-electric e-up! and… Read more »
Bosch introduces Power DCPlus fast charger
Bosch Automotive Service Solutions has introduced the Power DCPlus DC fast charger to North America. The new commercial charger uses the SAE Combo standard, and is ChargePoint network-enabled. It can be installed indoors or outdoors, in wall- or pedestal-mount configurations, and weighs less than 150 pounds. Bosch sees the 24 kW Bosch Power DCPlus as… Read more »
ChargePoint’s home chargers to go on sale this summer, starting at $499
ChargePoint has built an enormous electrical empire since installing its first public charging station in 2009. The company now boasts over 20,000 charging spots in North America, and between 70 and 80 percent of all new plug-in vehicle buyers sign up for an account. Now this champion of charging has set its sights on the… Read more »
Armored vehicles plug in
Now these are no golf carts! A fleet of six 26,000-pound, Class 5 armored vehicles will be converted to renewable natural gas PHEVs in an effort to comply with California air pollution standards. Efficient Drivetrains, Inc (EDI), a company that builds electrified drivetrains for some of the biggest vehicles on the road (and that was… Read more »
Plug-in sales slow in June, but Tesla exceeds estimates
For the second month in a row, total plug-in sales fell short of last year’s figures. Overall US sales were 10,365 in June, 10% lower than May, and 16% lower than June 2014. The good news is that worldwide sales have shattered last year’s numbers every month so far this year. After a slow start,… Read more »
Tesla Superchargers may be too popular for their own good
Giving away free stuff can be a winning business strategy, but it can backfire if customers start gaming the system. At Tesla’s recent shareholders’ meeting, Elon Musk complained that some Model S owners living near the company’s free Superchargers are using them to charge up for everyday driving, rather than for road trips as Tesla… Read more »
UK plug-in vehicle sales start to accelerate
The UK government’s efforts to boost adoption of what it calls “ultra low emission vehicles” (ULEVs) seem to be yielding some results. In the first quarter of 2015, 9,046 new ULEVs (EVs, PHEVs and FCVs) were registered, up 366% from 1,789 in the first quarter of 2014. The UK’s plug-in car and van grants were… Read more »
West Coast Electric Highway enables payment with PlugShare mobile app
EV drivers using the West Coast Electric Highway charging network in Oregon and Washington now have another way to pay for charging. Recargo’s PlugShare mobile app now provides access to the network on a pay-per-charge basis at no additional cost. Charging rates are: $4.00 per charge for Level 2 stations or $7.50 for DC fast… Read more »
Ultramodern plug-in buses go into service in Gothenburg
Volvo’s home town, the Swedish city of Gothenburg, has become something of a center for electric bus research, as the company operates pilots of electric and plug-in hybrid buses, some using dynamic wireless charging. This month the city opened its first fully operational route featuring electric buses. Bus route 55, which runs through the city… Read more »