Inside “SemaConnect for Glass” – A New EV Charging Stations App for Google Glass

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While the idea of wearing an interactive computer equipped with a head-mounted display may seem like something out of a sci-fi thriller, it is now a reality for a small number of Google Glass users. 

Indeed, if you’ve been following developments in the tech industry, you will notice that Google’s latest foray into wearable technology has been causing quite a stir. With a tiny, heads-up display located at the corner of the user’s vision, Glass purports to be one of the world’s first truly-ubiquitous smart computers on the market.

Here at SemaConnect, we’re always looking for new ways to harness the power of innovative technology to improve the EV driving experience. So when we noticed Google Glass making inroads in the tech world, we immediately began thinking of practical ways to utilize wearable technology to help EV drivers.

The result is the new “SemaConnect for Glasss” app, and we feel it offers some exciting opportunities to enhance the EV driving experience.

What is Google Glass?

Since Google Glass is quite new, many people are still unsure exactly how it works. Basically, Google Glass is worn just like a pair of glasses except that there is a tiny screen on the side which emulates viewing a 26” HD TV from eight feet away. Interaction with the device is carried out through the tiny screen, which can send phone calls and texts, show the weather and time, check emails, take pictures and video, and display maps. The user communicates with the interface by saying “Ok Glass…” and then giving a command.

While the idea of wearable technology is still brand new, response to Google Glass has generally been positive. Although there may still be a few kinks to work out, devices like Glass could just be on the brink of a new technological transformation. 

What can “SemaConnect for Glass” do for Google Glass users?

Harnessing the power of wearable technology is a logical extension of the EV driving experience. 

The number of charging stations is increasing every day, and the growing number of EV drivers will continue to need places to charge their cars. One thing our app can do is display a list of nearby charging stations and allow users to view where that location is on the map.

Imagine being able to say “Ok Glass… where is the closest EV charging station?” and then being able to visualize the location of that charging station right in your field of vision. It will streamline the process of locating a place to charge your car, and allow you to determine exactly which station will best suit your needs.

This feature will be particularly helpful when you are on a long EV trip or are in an unfamiliar place. 

Our turn-by-turn navigation feature will take you exactly to your charging station, thus removing the stress out of finding a charging station when you’re far from home. When you finally arrive at the charging station, you will also be able to initiate a charging session right from the Glass interface.

Ultimately, the Google Glass market is still relatively small and it will likely be a few years before the technology truly becomes mainstream. But we’re excited with where wearable technology is headed and how it can enhance the EV driving experience

Stay tuned for the release date of SemaConnect for Glass, as it will be available for download through the MyGlass app once it passes review in the Apple and Android stores. 

 Joseph Tohill is a freelance writer and online communications specialist for organizations in the sustainability sector. He has a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of British Columbia and spent most of his academic career studying sustainable urban development; namely the interdisciplinary relationship between built form and natural environment.

Cutting Costs With EV Charging Stations: Sea-Tac Airport Case Study

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When the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport elected to install 600 EV charging stations this year, going green wasn’t the only thing on its agenda. As the 17^th busiest airport in the US, Sea-Tac serves 31.5 million passengers and hosts over 20 airlines. In addition to managing its large environmental footprint, it also has to remain a competitive hub for air travel and look ahead towards changing transportation trends.

Part of remaining competitive means providing services that benefit its airlines and travelers. And since electric vehicles are quickly picking up steam as a viable transportation option, looking into the installation of EV charging stations made sense.

Interestingly, one of the primary reasons Sea-Tac will be installing EV charging stations is to help airlines save money while using its facilities. In particular, Sea-Tac estimates its network of charging stations could save its airlines nearly $2.8 million per year in fuel costs. In addition, the airport could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 10,000 tons, which would be equivalent to taking 1,900 cars off the road.

Having such an accessible EV infrastructure will allow airlines to seamlessly make the transition from diesel to electric power for their ground support vehicles and equipment.

The project is being spearheaded by the Port of Seattle, Alaska Airlines, and Western Washington Clean Cities and will be carried out in two phases: phase one will see 296 charging stations at concourse D, C and the north satellite, while phase two will see 300 additional charging locations in the rest of the terminal. Altogether the project will likely be completed in fall of this year.

Alaska Airlines already has 204 EVs on the ground at Sea-Tac airport, with plans to invest in many more.

What Any Property Manager Can Learn from Sea-Tac:

So what is the biggest take-away from this case study?

There are more than just environmental considerations involved in the installation of EV charging stations. 

Indeed, many properties (not just airports) are realizing that providing valuable EV amenities can reduce operating costs and provide a valuable service to EV drivers. Fuel prices are only going to increase into the future, thus making a compelling case for an all-electric vehicle fleet. Plus while making the necessary infrastructure investments, you are also helping the increasing number of EV drivers who also need a place to charge their car.

Joseph Tohill is a freelance writer and online communications specialist for organizations in the sustainability sector. He has a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of British Columbia and spent most of his academic career studying sustainable urban development; namely the interdisciplinary relationship between built form and natural environment.

Tapping into EV Demographics: Matching Consumer Demand with Supply In Retail

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What do Walgreens, Kohls, and Wal-Mart have in common? Aside from being large US retailers, all of these companies have also installed EV charging stations at many of their stores. And these are not the types of businesses that randomly blow money on the latest gadgets. They make calculated business decisions about the services they provide based on market research, demographic trends, and proven technologies.

It’s safe to say that when it comes to installing EV charging stations, these retail giants have done their homework. 

Other retailers still sitting on the fence about EV charging stations would be well-advised to look at the EV market a little closer to see how they can capture EV drivers in their business models. In particular, they should look at the demographic and social trends that are driving growth in the EV market at the moment.

One surprising element of EV demographics is that environmental concerns are only some amongst several reasons a consumer may buy an electric car. For instance, a recent study of EV drivers in California revealed some interesting information pertaining to Nissan Leaf, Chevy Volt, and Toyota Prius owners.

Environmental concerns came out on top for Nissan Leaf drivers, with 38% citing environmental concerns as their primary reason for purchasing an electric vehicle. Given the Leaf is an all-electric vehicle, this makes sense, as Leaf drivers are completely reliant on the electric grid for power, rather than supplementing electric power with fossil fuels.

Interestingly, Chevy Volt drivers claimed saving money by using cheap electricity was their primary reason for embracing an EV, followed by access to HOV lanes. Environmental concerns came in third place, with 18 percent of Volt drivers citing the environment as a buying motivation. 

Toyota Prius drivers were most concerned with access to HOV lanes, followed with saving money and curbing environmental degradation.

While environmental concerns factored into the purchasing decisions of all groups of EV owners, clearly there were other factors at play. EVs are not just being embraced by eco-minded consumers – they are also embraced by individuals looking to save money and get from point A to point B faster.

In addition, EVs are winning major awards not just amongst other EVs, but amongst all cars in general. For instance, Consumer Reports picked the Tesla Model S as the best overall car of the year for 2014. Top factors in their decision were the Model S’ emissions free driving experience, 225 mile driving range, internet access, and cutting-edge interface. 

Therefore, amongst all automobile drivers, EVs are becoming a more mainstream, highly desirable form of transportation that are only going to become more popular in the coming years. 

Consequently, while it would make sense for retailers to install EV charging stations to green their corporate image, the fact that EVs appeal to a wide range of people means that there can be economic and customer service motivations to installing a charging station as well. The demographic trends suggest EVs are catching on and becoming an increasingly important form of personal transportation. 

Retailers can use this information to their advantage when determining how to give their business a competitive advantage over other retailers in the years to come. And one of the ways they can improve their competitive advantage is to install EV charging stations, an increasingly in-demand consumer amenity.

Joseph Tohill is a freelance writer and online communications specialist for organizations in the sustainability sector. He has a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of British Columbia and spent most of his academic career studying sustainable urban development; namely the interdisciplinary relationship between built form and natural environment.

New Cable Management System Makes the EV Charging Process Hassle-Free

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There are lots of things that are awesome about being an EV driver. You can silently scoot around in a sleekly designed vehicle that emits no pollution, park in charging-equipped stalls at the mall, and refuel your car for the same price as a grande vanilla latte from your favorite coffee chain. However, if there was one slight drawback with driving an EV, it might be having to fold up and return the cord to its docking station after charging your car.  

Now admittedly, this is just a minor annoyance.

Yes the cord can be heavy, awkward, and a bit of a chore to put back in place. However, it probably ranks fairly low on your list of tiny frustrations in life – one of those things you just accept about driving around in an EV.

However, here at SemaConnect we’re dedicated to making the EV driving experience as seamless and hassle-free as possible. As a result, we’ve been hard at work devising a new cable management system to make charging an EV less of a chore. Our new charging stations will allow drivers to extend the cord to exactly the right length to charge their car. When finished, the driver simply has to return the head to the station, and the cord will automatically retract and loop itself.

It’s easy, clean, and completely frustration free.

We’re excited about this new system because it will actually benefit a lot of different types of people.

First of all, it will benefit EV drivers. No longer will you have to think about how to properly roll up the cord to stow it away. You also won’t have to get your hands dirty by physically trying to loop the cord onto the charging station. Our cable management system will take care of all of this for you.

It also means that you won’t arrive at a charging station to a pile of tangled up charging cords. Granted most EV drivers are pretty good about putting the cord away. However, there is a small percentage of users that are in a hurry or absent-minded, and they simply don’t put the cord away properly.

Retailers or property managers will also be happy that the cords will look cleaner and more organized. Many charging stations are located in prime locations near entrances of stores, and ensuring the cords remain unobtrusive makes the whole property look more organized.

Finally, the new cable management system will benefit non-EV drivers who happen to be walking by a charging station. No one wants to step over a cord that is hanging over onto the sidewalk. Not only does it look disorganized, you might accidentally step on it!

Ultimately, having a cable management system for charging stations is the next step forward in EV convenience. EVs have been on the market for several years now and an increasing number of them are hitting the streets every day. While exciting innovations are being made on the technological side as we speak, it is also time to look at how to make the charging experience as convenient and easy as possible. 

 Joseph Tohill is a freelance writer and online communications specialist for organizations in the sustainability sector. He has a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of British Columbia and spent most of his academic career studying sustainable urban development; namely the interdisciplinary relationship between built form and natural environment.