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What is the difference between Aerovironment, Ecotality, BetterPlace, Epyon and Coulomb's EV charging stations? How are they differentiating themselves? Isn't all the hardware just commodity ?

2 months ago, this question popped up in a group I am in on LinkedIn - EV Infrastructure.

It's been a huge center of mysticism and confusion for those not in the industry, so I pasted what I added to the conversation below:

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The EV Charging industry is growing rapidly and there are well over 20+ EV
charging companies on the market now.

The most basic way to differentiate the companies and their station is:

1. Is the station for residential or commercial use?
2. Is the station Level 1, 2 or DC Fast Charging?
3. Is the station "smart", hence, does the station simply charge a vehicle
and that's it. Or is there wireless and data connectivity inside the
station itself?
4. Is there software associated with the particular station that brings an
added benefit to a. The EV driver who is using the station and b. The
station owner to manage the station.

You can select an EV company and take them through the four points to
qualify them. The next question relies on what your exact needs are - are
you trying to install a station at home? Are you a business that wants
charging for your employees? Are you a city that needs public EV stations?

All EV charging stations that are able to charge the new generation of
Electric vehicles require a J1772. This is the "plug" that goes into the
vehicle to plug. Auto makers sometimes also provide a plug that has the
J1772 on one end and a regular electrical plug on the other. This is for
your convenience. Although Level 2 charging is the preferred charging
because of its faster charging time and cost of installation.

My apologies for the long note, and to those who already know this but I
will break down the level of charging.

Level 1: is when you "plug-in" your vehicle to your standard 120Volt outlet
at home. The pro to this is that everyone has it. The problem is that it
takes 20+ hours to recharge an EV full (I.e. Nissan Leaf, it is shorter for
the Chevy Volt)

Level 2: has the J1772 standard plugin. It charges an EV in around 4 - 8
hours. The price can range from $700 - $6000 dollars, based primarily on
how technologically advanced the station is.

DC Fast Charging: does not have a standard plug. It been known to recharge
an EV in about 30 - 40 minutes, however the high cost of building the
station and the extremely high cost of installing it is not a feasible reality for many.

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You can read the entire conversation HERE.

One thing I'd like to note, is that SemaConnect is still not a top-of-mind company for many people (e.g. we were not mentioned in the original question).  However, we're still a major contender in the commercial market.  I've also expressed how SemaConnect differentiates from other EVSEs.

Read the conversation, see who else in the industry is listening and helping to answer your questions.
If not, drop me a note.  I'd be more than happy to help!

Baltimore Gas and Electric Company Installs SemaConnect EV Charging Station – Supports Maryland’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program

 

ANNAPOLIS, Nov. 7, 2011 – Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE) and SemaConnect, Inc. a leading developer and producer of smart networked electric vehicle charging stations and sophisticated electric vehicle (EV) station software, today announced the installation of several ChargePro EV charging stations at BGE’s Woodlawn office complex in Baltimore County.  These new stations add to the charging stations BGE already has in place at other BGE locations in the Baltimore metro area and its headquarters building in downtown Baltimore.  

“Through Maryland’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program we’ve built a complete network of charging stations in the state,” said Mahi Reddy, CEO of SemaConnect. “Companies like BGE make it possible for us to continue building this EV charging network in Maryland and bring us to the forefront as one of the most sustainable states on the east coast.”

The Maryland Energy Administration allocated approximately $600,000 in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds to aid the development and integration of electric transportation into Maryland’s transportation system.  The investment resulted in the construction of sixty-five charging stations throughout the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area, providing the necessary infrastructure to allow electric vehicle owners to travel throughout the region.  The Baltimore-Washington Electric Vehicle Initiative (BEVI) in partnership with SemaConnect is developing fifty-five electric charging stations. BEVI is a public-private partnership founded in 2007 to advance the use of zero-emission electric vehicles. Established in Baltimore, BEVI currently serves the mid-Atlantic region, including Maryland, Washington D.C., Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. BEVI’s primary focus is to facilitate discussion, information exchange, education, technology transfer, economic development, public policy and planning related to electric vehicles (EVs) and EV supporting infrastructure in support of climate prosperity.

“Plug-in electric vehicles offer significant fuel cost savings for our customers and have a positive impact on the environment by reducing vehicle emissions,” said John Murach, director of business planning and corporate performance, BGE. “BGE is committed to not only helping our customers understand and optimize the benefits of electric vehicles by ensuring they have ample information, but we are also working to put sufficient infrastructure in place to meet the electric charging needs of our customers. Additionally, BGE is testing its own fleet of plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles to determine how the utility can also reduce its use of petroleum-based fuels and lessen its impact on the environment.”

The need for convenient, public charging is growing fast as most major automakers are already producing electric cars, or will be in the near future. The early focus on EV infrastructure has been on installing charging equipment in homes and municipal garages. However, many urban locations don’t have access to home or garage units, and all EV drivers need to have the confidence they can find a charge if their battery runs low while they are on the road.

Specifically designed for commercial-grade applications, SemaConnect’s ChargePro EV Charging Station is a sleek, compact charging unit that is easily installed and integrated into developing and existing facilities at multifamily, office, retail, fleet and municipal parking locations.

This intelligent, network-based EV charging system features:

·         Smart card authentication – for open or restricted access.

·         Smart Grid Integration – for easy energy metering and demand response.

·         Automatic billing/payment system – for convenient charging transactions.

·         Easy Installation - use our turnkey solution or your own contractor.

About Baltimore Gas and Electric

About SemaConnect, Inc.
SemaConnect is a leading provider of electric vehicle charging stations and sophisticated software for station owners and electric vehicle drivers. Our ChargePro Charging Stations utilize CDMA and Zigbee Wireless technology and offer advanced features such as smart-grid integration, RFID card authentication, sustainability reporting and more. To purchase your charging station, contact us at (410) 384 – 4223, or visit www.SemaConnect.com. Follow us on Twitter @Sema_Connect and learn more about EV infrastructure on our YouTube Channel, SemaConnect.

Media Contact for BGE:

Rob.Gould@bge.com

Linda.J.Foy@bge.com

Rachael.Lighty@bge.com

Media Inquiries: (410) 470-7433

Media Contact for SemaConnect:

Naly Yang

naly.yang@semaconnect.com

Phone: (410) 384 - 4223

SemaConnect Partners with Mobile NOW to permit EV Charging payment by cell phone with the ChargePro™

 

ANNAPOLIS, Nov. 15, 2011 – SemaConnect, a leading developer and producer of smart networked electric vehicle charging stations and sophisticated EV station software and Mobile NOW, a leading provider of Pay by Cell parking services under the service name ParkNOW!, today announced the integration of SemaConnect’s ChargePro charging stations and ParkNOW!’s ability to pay for a charging session through an EV driver’s cell phone.

“We’re delivering a truly wireless experience for EV drivers by collaborating our ChargePro charging stations with ParkNOW!,” said Mahi Reddy, CEO of SemaConnect. “We’re making it simpler for electric vehicle drivers to recharge, and continuing to produce the best quality products and services through our innovative partnerships.”

ParkNOW! EV Charging permits drivers to pay for a charging session with a cell phone using a smartphone app, text messaging or voice response calls. This approach reduces the need for traditional payment methods at the EV charger itself making it less expensive, more reliable and easier to install.

“Two such advanced products, electric vehicle charging and cell phone payments - fit perfectly together. Thanks to ParkNOW! EV Charging, parking facility owners and operators can begin to offer their customers EV charging services with nothing required except a charger and a place to install it,” said Krista Altok Tassa, President of Mobile NOW.

SemaConnect and Mobile NOW’s partnership aims to make charging more convenient for all EV drivers.  Now, drivers can charge their electric cars while they shop, dine, or entertain themselves in a variety of commercial and retail locations in major metropolitan areas, without worrying about having a specific charging pass or using a credit card machine.

Specifically designed for commercial-grade applications, SemaConnect’s ChargePro Charging Station is a sleek, compact charging unit that is easily installed and integrated into developing and existing facilities at multifamily, office, retail, fleet and municipal parking locations.

This intelligent, network-based EV charging system features:

·         Pay by Cell Phone – for easy open charging.

·         Smart Grid Integration – for easy energy metering and demand response.

·         Automatic billing/payment system – for easy revenue generation.

·         Easy Installation - use our turnkey solution or your own contractor.

About Mobile NOW, LLC.
Mobile NOW is a world pioneer and leading provider of cell phone and other cashless payment methods for the parking industry, operating on three continents under the service name ParkNOW!. In addition to enabling virtual payment and collection options, the ParkNOW! parking system offers full enforcement, management and reporting capabilities. Mobile NOW’s corporate office is in Rockville, MD. For more information, visit the ParkNOW! website.

About SemaConnect, Inc.
SemaConnect is a leading provider of electric vehicle charging stations and sophisticated software for station owners and electric vehicle drivers. Our ChargePro Charging Stations utilize CDMA and Zigbee Wireless technology and offer advanced features such as smart-grid integration, RFID card authentication, sustainability reporting and more. To purchase your charging station, contact us at (410) 384 – 4223, or visit www.SemaConnect.com. Follow us on Twitter @Sema_Connect and learn more about EV infrastructure on our YouTube Channel, SemaConnect.

Media Contact for Mobile NOW:

Krista Tassa

Krista.tassa@mobilenowsolutions.com

(917) 744-2765

Media Contact for SemaConnect:

Naly Yang

naly.yang@semaconnect.com

Phone: (410) 384-4223

ChargePro's in Howard County, MD

Thanks to Howard County for having our stations!  

Also, excellent videography from EVADC YouTube channel!  I definitely need to upgrade my camera!

ChargePro's being Deployed in Droves

It's a team effort working together here at SemaConnect to make this happen!  

We're so proud to see these stations being deployed.

Any Good Books on EVs or Clean Tech?

I'm thinking about books to read and review for this blog, and wanted your input.

I've been getting more and more interested in the macro view of this industry as a whole and would like to read books on electric vehicles, clean technology, sustainability, energy, etc.

I was recently referred to The Third Industrial Revolution: How Lateral Power is Transforming Energy, the Economy, and the World, by Jeremy Rifkin.

I'm ashamed to say that this will be the first book that I've read of his, although I've heard great things about his previous books.  So, I'm awaiting my order on Amazon.

Drop me a title and author - would really appreciate it!

Download our App!

Guess what?

I'm so excited to announce that our App has officially launched - and you're the first to know!

Download the SemaConnect App here!

We've been working tirelessly to build the first version of our application, available on apple iTunes.  By now, you're probably thinking, "There are so many apps with charging station locators - why do I need another one?"

Although our application only has SemaConnect's ChargePro Charging Stations, it is beneficial for SemaCharge Pass holders to actually login and receive real-time charging status of their vehicles.  Besides the fact it's awesome, I would also love to hear your opinions!

Everything that we do, we literally build in-house.  

So the more feedback I get, the better our stations, service, website, videos, app, etc. will be.  My goal is mostly to make it as easy as possible for you to charge, or own or navigate our stations and software.

Also - this is the last month to get your FREE SemaCharge Pass, so make sure you take advantage of it before it goes away!  The bargain ends Nov. 30th!

Thanks!

Happy Charging!

EV Learning Luncheon for Real Estate Professionals!

If you work in the Commercial Real Estate Industry than this is an event for you!

Based on my previous post, I briefly talked about my concerns within the commercial real estate industry and the lack of dialogue about EV charging stations.

In light of that, SemaConnect will be holding a series of EV Learning Luncheons, with our first location in Bethesda, Maryland!  It may be hard to read the digital version of the invitation so I included it below.  Hope to see all Commercial Real Estate Executives in the Maryland, Virginia and DC area there!

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EV Learning Luncheon

for Commercial Real Estate Professionals!

Why Corporate Office Properties Trust, Tower Companies and The Bozzuto Group are jumping on the Electric Lane by installing EV Charging stations and why YOU should too!

Join us for an hour long educational session on the importance of EV Charging stations in Office, Multifamily & Retail Commercial Real Estate!

Thursday, November 10, 2011

11:30 am - 1:00pm

at

One Bethesda Center

4800 Hampden Lane, Suite 200

Bethesda, MD  20814

Metro:  Bethesda Metro Station

Registration and lunch is FREE!

RSVP to this event:

naly.yang@semaconnect.com  -or- (410) 384 - 4223

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See you there!