Amsterdam Goes Electric: Pilot-Program Makes Amsterdam a Pioneer of the EV Frontier
Amsterdam - On May 27, 2009, 365-Energy Group announced a pilot-program that could make Amsterdam the leader an Electric Vehicle (EV) infrastructure in Europe.
By 2012, the city of Amsterdam plans to be home to 200 electric vehicle charging stations. These 200 stations, courtesy of US-based Coulomb Technologies, are expected to serve 10,000 cars by the year 2015.
Excitement is high over the two-year public demonstration program, which will use 45 Coulomb Technologies‘ ChargePoint(TM) Networked Charging Stations as their source of fuel. Richard Lowenthall, CEO of the California-based company, announced that “the city of Amsterdam will have the largest network of smart charging stations in Europe for fleet and consumer charging.” He went on to say that, “Coulomb is providing an inclusive open architecture so that all electric vehicle owners in Amsterdam can easily make the switch from gasoline to electricity as a fuel.”
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The inclusive and open architecture Lowenthall mentioned is a subscription based membership. EV drivers subscribe online to the ChargePoint Network, where they receive a ChargePoint Smart Card. With this Smart Card, subscribers can refuel at any of the 200 planned charge stations around the city.
Using a ChargePoint charging station is simple and user friendly. An EV driver simply holds an authorized Smart Card in front of the card reader, which unlocks the station’s door. The driver then plugs in the EV and closes and locks the door, which safely secures the cord.
With the ability to locate ChargePoint charge stations online through Google maps, EV drivers will have no trouble finding charging stations. Expansion poses no problem, either. Through a subscriber’s portal, drivers can also request new stations. And with expansion throughout Europe knocking on the front door, drivers will have access to the service in any European city, regardless of their provider.
A subscription to Coulomb Technologies’ network isn’t without perks. EV drivers and fleet managers will not be left in the dark about the welfare of their vehicles. Text messages are sent to notify drivers when vehicles are overdue for charging, when charging abnormally terminates, and when charging is complete.
Too good to be true? The services are also free of charge for the duration of the Amsterdam pilot-program.
Amsterdam is at the forefront of EV infrastructure in Europe, deploying the charging network before widespread adoption of electric vehicles.
More: Which city in the US will be first to an EV infrastructure?
Photo Credit: 365-Energy Group
This is a great step in the direction of making electric cars more main stream.
Great news ! EV RULES ! ELECTRIC IS HERE !
More stations means more places to charge electric cars! And that means, electric car drivers don’t have to worry anymore about where they can plug-in!
Way awesome news but do you think that some businesses are a bit skeptical to getting the station chargers because they’re not sure if the electric cars are going to raise in popularity?
only way to move into a new era is to just do it!!
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