By linking to Cisco’s HEC, owners of the Blink EV Home Charging Station will be able to instantly access vital information pertaining to their plug-in vehicles and optimize charging schedules to coincide with off-peak energy rates. This fully automated system will allow electric vehicle owners to simply plug in their car, enter a time that charging must be completed by and let the HEC system optimize the entire process at the lowest available energy rates. Cisco’s HEC system can be assessed via web portal, smartphone or directly through the Blink charger interface.
Colin Read, Ecotality’s vice president of corporate development, told AutoblogGreen that incorporating Cisco’s bleeding-edge technology into Ecotality’s Blink charger network will help enable a near-seamless transition from gasoline-fueled cars to plug-in vehicles.
Larry O’Connell, Cisco’s manager of product marketing for HEC, asserts that Ecotality is an ideal partner, adding that both companies strive to solve energy use dilemmas across the nation.
Cisco’s HEC system will be deployed under Ecotality’s EV Project, which calls for the installation of 15,000 Level 2 chargers and more than 300 DC quick-charge units by the end of 2011. With the Chevy Volt set to launch nationwide by the end of this year, now’s the perfect time to get them chargers in the ground.
[Source: ECOtality]
Consumers Can Now Manage Their Electric Vehicle Charging and Home Energy Management from a Single Interface
SAN FRANCISCO – January 31, 2010– ECOtality, Inc.(NASDAQ:ECTY),a leader in clean electric transportation and storage technologies with a full range of products for charging electric vehicles (EV), announced today it has completed development for integrating the Blink Network charger interface with the Cisco Home Energy Management Solution (HEMS). The Blink Network charger interface will now be accessible through the Cisco Home Energy Controller (HEC), where Blink EV Home Charging Station owners can access information about their EVs and optimize their charging and energy usage. Cisco’s HEMS technology will be deployed as part of The EV Project, the largest rollout of EV infrastructure to date, of which ECOtality is the project manager.
“Energy management is one of the key smart features of Blink charging stations. By combining Cisco’s Home Energy Management solution with our Blink Network charger interface, consumers will now be able to monitor and control their energy use-including EV charging-at home and on the road,” said Jonathan Read, CEO of ECOtality. “The Blink interface communicates directly with utilities to determine off-peak and low-cost charging times, and allows consumers to maximize energy usage and reduce costs. Together with Cisco, we are delivering a solution that empowers consumers to adopt renewable energy and promotes energy efficient technology that supports the deployment of the smart grid.”
Cisco Home Energy Controller (HEC) helps residential customers monitor and control their energy use. In the home. An optional set of Cisco compatible, tested peripherals can be wirelessly connected to the HEC in order to provide monitoring and control of energy loads such as HVAC systems, pool pumps, water heaters, appliances, and other devices. The Cisco HEC can be easily controlled from an intuitive touch-screen display. From this controller, Blink Home Charging Station owners will now be able to control and monitor their EV charging.
The Blink Home Charging Station is classified as a Level 2 (240 volt AC input) charging station. The smart charger is equipped with intelligent cost-saving features that allowconsumers to easily charge their EVs safely and securely. The Blink Home Charging Station is equipped with an easy-to-use 7-inch touch screen display where users can control the Blink Network charger interface. With the Cisco HEC, consumers will be able to access the charger interface remotely.
The Blink Network charger interface is the hub where users can receive information about their EV and Blink Home Charging Station includingcharge status, statistics and history. The Blink interface will also determine which charging times are most cost-effective and promote responsible power consumption. The charger can be programmed to start and stop at any time. Where supported, the charging station’s built-in energy meter will support energy usage data evaluation to further aid with the power management of the charging station, and the user’s home.
About ECOtality, Inc.
ECOtality, Inc. (NASDAQ:ECTY), headquartered in San Francisco, California, is a leader in clean electric transportation and storage technologies. Through innovation, acquisitions, and strategic partnerships, ECOtality accelerates the market applicability of advanced electric technologies to replace carbon-based fuels.
ECOtality is project manager of The EV Project and will oversee the installation of 15,000 commercial and residential charging stations in 16 cities and major metropolitan areas in six states and the District of Columbia. The project will provide an EV infrastructure to support the deployment of 8,300 EVs. The project is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy through a federal stimulus grant of $114.8 million, made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The grants are matched by private investment, bringing the total value of the project to approximately $230 million.
For more information about ECOtality, Inc., please visitwww.ecotality.com.
