GE Announces WattStation Electric Car Charger

[sjfotos]

Good sign as more companies enter the charging market. From today's CNBC interview with GE's Jeff Immelt it seemed this was going to be a commercial product, but this article indicates that a home version will be available as well.

http://earth2tech.com/2010/07/13/the-de ... r-charger/

[Azrich]

Hi Steve,

I think it is good that other companies are getting into the market of EV chargers. GE will have a home unit out later this year. The GE charger is probably the most attractive I've seen and they have considered things like melting snow and ice from the top - something you might need in PA. The more companies involved, the lower the prices will be. If I was a store owner, I'd look at these units for in front of my place. They really stand out and look more futuristic than some of the poles and boxes we have seen.

[sjfotos]

Hi Steve,

I think it is good that other companies are getting into the market of EV chargers. GE will have a home unit out later this year. The GE charger is probably the most attractive I've seen and they have considered things like melting snow and ice from the top - something you might need in PA. The more companies involved, the lower the prices will be. If I was a store owner, I'd look at these units for in front of my place. They really stand out and look more futuristic than some of the poles and boxes we have seen.

Yup! I agree, the more the merrier! I used to live in Minnesota....I was thinking that if they wanted to keep that top clear of ice there, they might need a hot plate!

[evnow]

GE will have a home unit out later this year.

I was trying to parse their statement to see when they will have the home unit out. Doesn't look like this year - they will just "announce" the home charger later this year. Just like they announced the commercial one today - but the availability is actually next year.

[Azrich]

Quote from link below:

GE’s announcement about its WattStations today says that they will commercially be available in 2011, but with a specialized home version of the charger available later in 2010. Behar told me that a residential version of the charger could possibly have design tweaks that would help it fit better in a garage.

This is what I read that led me to believe that GE would have a home version of the WattStation available later this year.

[evnow]

GE WattStation will be commercially available globally in 2011. GE will unveil a specialized home version of the charger later this year.

This is from GE's press release.

[sjfotos]

GE WattStation will be commercially available globally in 2011. GE will unveil a specialized home version of the charger later this year.

This is from GE's press release.

It is that "unveiled" statement that introduced some doubt...

[evnow]

http://blogs.edmunds.com/greencaradviso ... -1500.html

First off, price: "The commercial model will cost between $3,000-7,000 depending on order specifications. The residential unit will cost between $1,000-1,500," wrote GE spokeswoman Megan Parker in an email.
.....
Parker disclosed that the residential unit will be unveiled this fall and available in limited numbers during the fourth quarter of this year, which is when Nissan will begin selling it Leaf EV (and Chevy its Volt EREV) in the U.S. Broad distribution of the chargers will begin during the second quarter of next year, she said.

[sjfotos]

http://blogs.edmunds.com/greencaradviso ... -1500.html

First off, price: "The commercial model will cost between $3,000-7,000 depending on order specifications. The residential unit will cost between $1,000-1,500," wrote GE spokeswoman Megan Parker in an email.
.....
Parker disclosed that the residential unit will be unveiled this fall and available in limited numbers during the fourth quarter of this year, which is when Nissan will begin selling it Leaf EV (and Chevy its Volt EREV) in the U.S. Broad distribution of the chargers will begin during the second quarter of next year, she said.

Thanks evnow! Far better than I expected.

[garygid]

But, still makes the $725 (plus markup, tax, and shipping) AV unit seem fairly attractive, if one could just get them.

But, I am still waiting for a Level 2, 32-amp, plugin product with user-selectable max-current setings.