June 2009 Archives

Here at EV Authority we've done our best to promote the adoption of new cleaner technologies in the transportation industry, specifically Electric Vehicles. We've done this through company bios, product reviews and even an EV charging locations map which is potentially the most up to date and accurate resource available anywhere online. As more and more people actually purchase or make their own plugins, transition to electric bikes and motorcycles or make the jump to a Segway or Tesla Roadster there is one important factor that still seems to be lagging behind, charging stations! As you can see from our map, there are still a lot of blank spots in the US and abroad.

All that's about to change however, and we're betting on one company to lead the charge - ChargePoint. We've done stories and press coverage for these guys in the past, but more than ever things are getting real. Coulomb Technologies, the parent company of the ChargePoint system, is making headway in a space that few people thought was mature enough to invest in as recently as six months ago. Well, not only do they have a working prototype and mockups, they have actual working units deployed all across the US that are being used on a daily basis by real life customers! Utilities and private owners are actually monitoring their use realtime on the ChargePoint Network and a legitimate smart grid is starting to form.

What's more impressive, their business model actually works... To date, the company hasn't even received stimulus funding. That's not slowing them down though, and as early as next month they could be adding grant money to what has already become a huge success story. Last week their founder Richard Lowenthal was even awarded 2009 Citizen of the Year by the Cupertino Chamber of  Commerce.

An insider at Coulomb has kept us up to date on company progress as we've updated our map, and word has it they will be announcing a sizable new batch of customers very soon. Furthermore, they are expected to announce the deployment of European units later this year, more than doubling their current functional stations in the US! This will be the first time ChargePoints units are installed abroad. That's not all, earlier this year they announced their first commercial ev charger installation at the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company in Chico California and are expected to announce several more commercial outlets in the coming week. This is amazing news for a company that has relied on government fleet installments to get their start. There are also rumors that beyond private enterprize and city installations their may also be a public utility company coming onboard.

We're betting big on Coulomb and are very excited about their recent successes. Thier strategic partners at home and abroad have made huge progress and it seems like the gamble has paid off for early investors. Speaking of which, there is another rumor that the next big commercial installation for ChargePoint may be a casino! Stay tuned...

At the time of this writing the soon to be released Mission One motorcycle is set to be the fastest mass produced electric powered motorcycle in the world. Just like the bikes themselves, preorders are going fast so you'll have to sign up now if you want to be an original owner. The website says:

We are now accepting reservations for the Premier Limited Edition of the Mission One, limited to 50 numbered units to be delivered in 2010.

At $68,995 these bikes aren't cheap but the performance is definitely there, especially when compared to a few other ev bikes we've seen recently. The ZERO Motorcycle (pictured below) comes to mind... Wrather than just offering a pure road bike as Mission One is doing, the ZERO comes in two flavors of on and off road. Both bikes are limited to 60mph top speed and 60 mile range but the bike only costs around $8,950 after federal tax credits.

By contrast, the Mission One motorcycle (pictured below) can reach top speeds of 150mph and is capable of traveling 150 miles per charge!

The Mission One Motorcycle is the Tesla Roadster of electric powered bikes with its high pricetag and a sexy design. Its racing circuit grade components and Yves Béhar design are sure to turn heads. Still one question remains, with its silent speed will will the worlds fastest EV motorcycle also be its most the most dangerous? or will there be a motor sound synthesizer built in as we have seen on a few performance sports cars?

We contacted Mission One and posed the following question, we will fill in their response as soon as we hear back:

EV Authority: We are doing a story on the Mission One for http://evauthority.com and have a question for you. Will the bike have some sort of sound synthesizer to enhance the level of safety for its rider? By comparison to louder internal combustion motorcycles the Mission One will not only be small but also silent which makes it exceedingly dangerous. Are there other safety features that are being added to help protect riders?

Mission One: Thank you for your inquiry about the noise of our motorcycle. To date, no studies have been shown that vehicle sound decreases the frequency of accidents. We take the position that motorcyclist safety is the primary responsibility of the individual rider. Awareness of their environment and making wise decisions while operating our vehicle or any other is paramount to safe motorcycle riding.

For more information, pictures, and videos on the Mission one head on over to their community page.

Walnut Creek becomes the third Bay Area City to install a Coulomb charging station for electric vehicles. East Bay City Unveils Three Public ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations in Downtown Parking Garages.

Walnut Creek, California. June 8, 2009 - Coulomb Technologies today announced that Walnut Creek, CA has become the third Bay Area city to deploy their ChargePoint™ Networked Charging Stations for electric vehicles. Coulomb's charging stations will be officially welcomed to the city in a ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday, June 9, 2009 at 11:30 am at the Locust Street Garage. The charging stations are installed in three public parking garages in the heart of downtown Walnut Creek.

Walnut Creek is considered one of the top destinations in the Bay Area, known for its outdoor festivals, performing arts scene and superb shopping and dining. EV owners across the Bay Area now have a premier place where they can recharge while enjoying downtown Walnut Creek.

"Progressive Bay Area cities are leading by example when it comes to EV infrastructure," said Richard Lowenthal, CEO of Coulomb Technologies. "Nowhere else in the world can drivers of electric vehicles travel from city to city and find charging stations. Infrastructure for EV's is taking shape in the Bay Area. The Cities of San Jose and San Francisco were the first installations for consumers and fleet owners and now with the addition of Walnut Creek to our network of charging stations, drivers can literally drive around the Bay Area and charge as they go."

Coulomb Technologies has developed the charging stations for municipalities, utilities, green office buildings and parking garages to allow consumers to charge their electric vehicles wherever they live, work and shop. Consumers subscribe to the ChargePoint Network and receive a ChargePoint Smart Card that allows them to charge their car at any charging station worldwide. To locate available charging stations, visit www.mychargepoint.net and click "Find Stations".

About Coulomb Technologies, Inc.
Coulomb Technologies (http://www.coulombtech.com), headquartered in Campbell, Calif., offers a family of products and services that provide a plug-in vehicle charging infrastructure, which includes ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations ranging in capability from 120V 15A to 240V 80A AC charging to 120kW DC charging. Coulomb applies networking technology to the challenge of charging electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids in order to fuel the electric transportation industry. Coulomb's ChargePoint Network (http://www.mychargepoint.net) addresses the needs of drivers, utilities, governments, and parking space owners. For more information, please visit http://www.coulombtech.com. Follow Coulomb on Twitter at twitter.com/coulombevi.

The electric bicycle. On the one hand it can be an efficient, fun, and affordable means of transportation. On the other, it can be dangerous, a bit awkward, and extremely heavy if it runs out of batteries or you decide to go with pedal power just for fun. This innovative "do it yourself" design doesn't solve all of these problems, but it does take a completely new approach. Instead of forcing buyers to commit to the electric bike design entirely, spending thousands of dollars usually on a second bike, one for off-road/exercise and one purely for longer assisted rides, it allows them to have the best of both worlds by upgrading their existing bike for under $400. Instead of recreating the bike itself, this design adds a small detachable trailer to push the entire bicycle and rider forward.

Enter the Bidwell Pusher. At first glance it looks small and weak but let me assure you, the strength is definitely there and the small size is actually a huge benefit, making it less intrusive to the rider. The trailer design leverages the weight of batteries to gain traction and push the entire bicycle forward; it also doubles as a storage bin to help out with grocery trips! Similar push designs have been successfully used in recent years by professional designers to achieve enhanced efficiency and stability for touring bikes and cars.

By completely removing the batteries from the bicycle frame, where most other electric bikes keep them permanently attached, the center of gravity not upset by the Bidwell Pusher. This gives the bike rider more stability and makes for a safer more comfortable ride. Additionally, the rider can completely remove the pusher within minutes and be back to their original road or mountain bike for human powered use.

The Bidwell Pusher isn't available fully assembled so you'll have to spend a bit of time, but the good news is you won't be spending a lot of cash. The Pusher is assembled using the frame and battery from a standard scooter designed for kids, the Currie Phat Flyer, plus a few extra parts from your local hardware store. All said, it will cost you somewhere around $400 and a few hours of time.

The Bidwell Pusher plan and builders guide cost $35 and you can get them here. The pusher will power users up to 40 miles without pedaling and can reach speeds in excess of 17mph.