13 companies, 8 groups join DOE Workplace Charging Challenge
31 January 2013
Thirteen major US employers and eight stakeholder groups have joined the US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) new Workplace Charging Challenge to help expand access to workplace charging stations for American workers across the country.
In a speech at the Washington Auto Show, Energy Secretary Chu outlined the new initiative, which aims to expand the availability of workplace charging, increasing the convenience of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) and providing drivers with more options.
The first 13 employers that have signed the Workplace Charging Pledge as Partners include: 3M, Chrysler Group, Duke Energy, Eli Lilly and Company, Ford, GE, GM, Google, Nissan, San Diego Gas & Electric, Siemens, Tesla, and Verizon.
The pledge commits each partner organization to assess workforce PEV charging demands, and then develop and implement a plan to install workplace charging infrastructure for at least one major worksite location.
The 8 stakeholder organizations include: California PEV Collaborative, CALSTART, Electric Drive Transportation Association, Electrification Coalition, International Parking Institute, NextEnergy, Plug In America, and Rocky Mountain Institute.
To support the Partners and Ambassadors who sign the pledge, DOE will provide technical assistance and establish a forum for Partners and Ambassadors to share information.
The Energy Department also released the EV Everywhere Grand Challenge Blueprint, which describes PEV technology and deployment barriers, as well as steps to move forward in achieving the EV Everywhere goal.
As long as the employers offer free charging, or at least charging rates that one would get at home. Signing up with blink is painful. You get gouged unless you have an empty Tesla or Leaf battery. Topping off kills you in minimum fee prices.
Posted by: TM | 31 January 2013 at 10:14 PM
If you get this right, you can almost double the range of commuting EVs.
If you get this very right, you can do some load balancing (by charging at times of lowest demand).
If you got it even more right, you could draw a little power from the EVs for further load balancing, but that might be a step too far.
As TM says, it must be for the benefit of the EV users (and perhaps the Utilities). And not an opportunity for 3rd parties to rip off employees.
Else, why not just let them plug into normal 110 / 220 Volt sockets - you should be able to get a fair bit of juice in 8 hours.
Posted by: mahonj | 01 February 2013 at 07:38 AM
EV owners should pay the real cost + an average of 15% profit for the energy they use outside their residence.
Installing limited power 220 VAC outlets and meters at employers parking places, shopping centers etc is not very expensive and could be budget neutral after 5 years or so.
With more charging places, electric city cars would not have to have very large batteries.
Posted by: HarveyD | 02 February 2013 at 07:42 AM