Germany Gets Smart with Electric Car Charging Stations
The Berlin electric vehicle project will have more than 100 cars and 500 charging stations.
Germany’s Daimler has teamed up with Essen-based utility RWE on a pilot project in the country’s capital. The project will see more than 100 electric cars on the road and a network of 500 charging stations. Daimler currently has a pilot project in London, where a test fleet of about 100 first-generation Smart Fortwo electric cars are being used by corporate groups and municipal authorities, including the London Police.
Eva Wiese, a spokeswoman for Daimler, told the Cleantech Group that the new Smart cars in Berlin will have a greater range.
“The London one has 115 kilometers, and we think that with the new battery technology it will be a little better, but we haven’t specified it yet.”
Recent reports have pegged San Carlos, Calif.-based Tesla Motors, maker of the high-speed electric Tesla Roadster, as a battery supplier for Daimler, but the Germany automaker is keeping tight-lipped about its power plans.
- » See also: Leo Motors CEO Dr. Robert Kang on the Future of Electric Vehicles
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“We have been in talks with various companies, but I cannot confirm anything,” said Wiese.
RWE, one of Germany’s largest energy providers, will develop, install and operate the charging infrastructure in Berlin, with Daimler providing electric Mercedes-Benz and Smart cars, as well as vehicle service. The cost of the project was not disclosed, but the companies said the program is getting some support from the German federal government.
The charging station aspect of the project is similar to the partnership between San Jose and Coulomb Technologies in California. However, the sheer number of planned charging stations and the addition of the electric Smart cars takes the Berlin plan several steps further.
Source: CleanTech
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Image courtesy of CleanTech
[...] Germany Gets Smart with Electric Car Charging Stations [...]
What ever happened to Shai Agassi [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shai_Agassi], he seemed to be all prepared to go ERP Software for Electric Car Charging Software. Once working for SAP AG [http://www.sap.com/] other sites: Now Shai Agassi is with (Founder and CEO) Better Place [http://www.betterplace.com/] Shai Agassi Left SAP sometime before March 28, 2007, Agassi was President of the Products and Technology Group (PTG) at SAP AG and resigned March 28 effective April 1, 2007. Renault and its partner, Nissan Motor Company in Israel began a joint venture with Better Place (Agassi has raised 200 million dollars for this project). Investors include VantagePoint Venture Partners, Israel Corporation, Israel Cleantech Ventures, Morgan Stanley, and private investors led by Michael Granoff of Maniv Energy Capital. Fright of a loss of the gasoline engine caused by Agassi’s efforts has the Deutsche Bank switching to Israel Cleantech Ventures. SAP AG Headquarters is in Walldorf, Germany. Does this prove that Germany’s Daimler has walked on the idea of Software for the electric car recharging? So Daimler has their own plan I see.