ECOtality, Inc. (NASDAQ: ECTY) began mass manufacturing of its electric vehicle charging stations last week at Roush Manufacturing in Michigan.
The companies did not disclose production targets.
ECOtality partnered with Roush in July 2010 to manufacture the company’s prototype Blink home and commercial charging stations. The agreement
marked a major move for Roush into the electric vehicle industry. This
is an important evolutionary step for Roush and the automotive industry,
as an existing Roush automotive facility has been modified to now
support the developing EV industry.
“Roush’s stellar reputation and automotive OEM experience made them an ideal partner as we made the move to full-scale manufacturing," Don Karner, president of ECOtality, said.
The Blink charging stations form the centerpiece of the charging infrastructure network ECOtality is deploying as part of the DOE-backed EV Project. Recently, the Blink chargers received Underwriters Laboratories (UL) listing.
The home charging stations offer several advantages over conventional charging stations, including advanced energy monitoring capabilities that allow homeowners to optimize their energy usage and charge their vehicles when rates are lowest. The Blink Network charger interface is the hub where users can receive information about their EV and Blink Home Charging Station including charge status, statistics and history.
Blink Home Charging Stations are available now to EV drivers and are free of charge to EV Project participants. The units can be installed indoors or outside at commercial locations, and both hardwire and plug-in charging stations are available.
ECOtality is project manager of The EV Project and will oversee the installation of commercial and residential charging stations in 17 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.
