The EV Project Expands to Chicago

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Blink

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 5, 2012
Messages
47
Hi Chicago!

We wanted to inform you that this morning, ECOtality, Inc announced that The EV Project has been expanded to Chicago!

Check out the press release - (http://www.ecotality.com/media/press-releases/ev-project-offers-free-blink-chargers-to-ev-drivers-and-commercial-host-sites-in-chicago/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)- we sent out this morning as well as the Company Update we posted on our community forum, BlinkShare! http://blinkshare.blinknetwork.com/blink/topics/the_ev_project_expands_to_atlanta_chicago_and_philadelphia" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) Please us know if you have any questions.

"EV Project offers Free Blink® Chargers to EV Drivers and Commercial Host Sites in Chicago

SAN FRANCISCO and CHICAGO – Wednesday, August 1, 2012 –ECOtality, Inc. (NASDAQ:ECTY), a leader in clean electric transportation and storage technologies, announced today it will offer its Blink® smart charging stations free to residents and commercial host sites of the greater metropolitan Chicago area as part of its expansion of The EV Project, a public-private partnership with the Department of Energy.

“Now residents and businesses in Northern Illinois interested in electric transportation in the Chicago region can join The EV Project and help us build a nationwide network of electric vehicle charging stations”, said Don Karner, Chief Innovation Officer of ECOtality, Inc. “By signing up for a free charger, EV owners can take part in this massive research project that can help reduce our country’s dependence on foreign oil. We are excited about bringing The EV Project to the greater Chicago region. With the expansion of this new market, The EV project is now in nine states and 21 major metropolitan areas throughout the country.”

Qualified Chicago-area residents, who have taken ownership of either the Nissan LEAF or Chevy Volt, will receive a free residential Blink wall mount charger as well as an installation credit up to $400, subject to certain conditions. Residents and commercial hosts interested in participating can sign up at http://www.theevproject.com/sign-up.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; or by emailing [email protected].

“ComEd is pleased to be a utility partner to the EV Project”, said Michael McMahan, ComEd’s vice president of Smart Grid and Technology. “The Chicago region is quickly becoming nationally recognized as a leader in the deployment of EV charging infrastructure. The EV Project complements the extensive work that ComEd has done to date in collaboration with other Illinois stakeholders to prepare the region for consumer adoption of EVs, and we look forward to supporting the EV Project.”

To learn more about The EV Project opportunities in the Chicago area and meet with local EV experts, save the date for a Host Partners Forum on August 20th at the InterContinental at 10 am CT. Details on this event will be released through a media advisory and on Blink’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blinknetwork" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

ECOtality is the project manager of The EV Project, a research initiative to help build America’s future EV infrastructure. To date, The EV Project has gathered more than 33 million miles of EV driver data that will serve to support the deployment of EVs in key markets. The project is a public-private partnership, funded in part by the U.S. Department of Energy through a federal stimulus grant and made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). For more information about The EV Project, please visit http://www.theevproject.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;"
 
walterbays said:
Looks like the EV Project is needed in Chicago, including education and incentives for building owners: http://www.chicagotribune.com/class...ct-mre-0805-renting-20120802,0,7239869.column Landlord pulls the plug on electric car charging

Interestingly enough the photo shows a standard L1 120V extension cord coming out some kind of generic Toyota (almost looks like an older Highlander but probably an older Prius converted to a plug-in); this story has more to do with what you can and can't do in the common parking structures. The letter writer didn't specify if they pay for parking (or if its simply included in their rent) but with the already high cost to park in the city I would think that offering even L1 charging for a minor add-on monthly fee could actually be a benefit worth featuring if the landlord is smart. Any story that at least raises awareness is good; wonder where the letter writer charges their car now that the landlord said no? Lastly, seem to recall mention of a CA law on the somewhat similar issue related to rental properties (no banning of adding a charging station at a condo) but this one is different as its a common parking structure.
 
its great that the EV project is expanding to new areas but wondering if this is new money or transferred money? WA was supposed to get like 5,000 L2 (we might have that much, we do have a bunch of them!) and 40 L3's. to date, we have broken ground on 2 that i know of, have another installed by a private company and a dozen AV's from the West Coast Green Highway Project, intended to enhance the EV Highway Project but is currently overshadowing them in the DCFC arena.

So are the initial states getting what they were promised or is the project looking for areas more conducive to the public charging installs?
 
DaveinOlyWA said:
its great that the EV project is expanding to new areas but wondering if this is new money or transferred money?

Hi DaveinOlyWA,
The expansion into Chicago, Philadelphia, and Atlanta is part of the original DOE funding that was allotted in 2009. :)
 
Blink said:
DaveinOlyWA said:
its great that the EV project is expanding to new areas but wondering if this is new money or transferred money?

Hi DaveinOlyWA,
The expansion into Chicago, Philadelphia, and Atlanta is part of the original DOE funding that was allotted in 2009. :)

is there still plans to add about 40 quick charge stations in the greater Seattle area? any info on locations? launch dates would be nice
 
Blink said:
DaveinOlyWA said:
its great that the EV project is expanding to new areas but wondering if this is new money or transferred money?

Hi DaveinOlyWA,
The expansion into Chicago, Philadelphia, and Atlanta is part of the original DOE funding that was allotted in 2009. :)

So, only the original $100 million in 2009, and not the subsequent additional $28 million ??? Where did that money go? Ok, I found it:

"Ecotality, a company that manufactures electric vehicle charging stations. DOE awarded Ecotality $99.8 million in 2009 to install 15,000 such stations across the country.
Shortly after that award, the Securities and Exchange Commission began investigating Ecotality for insider trading. It subpoenaed the chief executive of the company’s North American subsidiary, requesting communications with 18 individuals associated with the company.
Despite the ongoing investigation, DOE awarded Ecotality a $26 million contract in October 2011 for electric vehicle testing."

I didn't know your company was going to China. Seems like a lot of expanding with a lot of unfinished projects left in the wake.

http://www.sustainablebusinessoregon.com/national/2012/06/ecotality-starts-china-venture.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 
I believe the additional $28M was from the California Energy Commission, and the deliverables were studies / reports, not necessarily additional infrastructure...Can't find a link at the moment, but I'll keep looking...
 
TonyWilliams said:
Blink said:
DaveinOlyWA said:
its great that the EV project is expanding to new areas but wondering if this is new money or transferred money?

Hi DaveinOlyWA,
The expansion into Chicago, Philadelphia, and Atlanta is part of the original DOE funding that was allotted in 2009. :)

So, only the original $100 million in 2009, and not the subsequent additional $28 million ??? Where did that money go?

I didn't know your company was going to China. Seems like a lot of expanding with a lot of unfinished projects left in the wake.

http://www.sustainablebusinessoregon.com/national/2012/06/ecotality-starts-china-venture.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ah gotta be careful there otherwise that 3 year EV project money could be bigger than an afternoon's worth of Big Oil support
 
N1ghtrider said:
Any LEAFs in Chicago or So. Wisc. yet? I am visiting relatives from Kennilworth who have a weekend place in Wisc. and they have not heard about any in this area yet.

There are more than a few of us, first deliveries of the LEAF in Chicagoland were in November of 2011, take a closer look (now at 101 pages!!) if your interested while you're visiting ... they're still somewhat of a rare sight (see many more Volt's) but you may come across one

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=357
 
Randy said:
I believe the additional $28M was from the California Energy Commission, and the deliverables were studies / reports, not necessarily additional infrastructure...Can't find a link at the moment, but I'll keep looking...


No, it was DOE, apparently for "vehicle testing". I'll be interested to see what my tax dollar bought with that.

I'll try and find the DOE source data.

"In addition to the stimulus funds it received in 2010 as part of the EV Project, Ecotality got a $26.4 million Energy Department grant in October of last year as part of DOE’s “Advanced Vehicle Testing and Evaluation project.” The award makes Ecotality the exclusive tester for the project."

Yes, of course, they applied for California money, and no doubt China money, and money from any place they can get it.
 
Here's the China deal:


http://www.faqs.org/sec-filings/120628/ECOTALITY-INC_8-K/v317176_ex10-1.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Clever off-shore office:

 
Party B: ECOtality Asia Pacific Ltd
  Rooms 2702-3, 27th Floor, Bank of East Asia Harbour View Center
  56 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
   
Attention: Jonathan Read, President/CEO
Telephone No: +1-415-992-3000

 
6.1 Total Amount of Investment
 
The total amount of investment of the Company shall be US$12,500,000.00 (Twelve Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars).
 
6.2 Registered Capital
 
The registered capital of the Company shall be US$5,000,000.00 (Five Million United States Dollars). The registered capital for the Company shall be contributed by the Parties in the following proportions:
 
(a) Party A’s aggregate contribution to the registered capital of the Company shall be sixty percent (60.0%) of the total registered capital of the Company, and shall be the RMB equivalent of US$3,000,000.00 (Three Million United States Dollars) in the form of a cash contribution.
(b) Party B’s aggregate contribution to the registered capital of the Company shall be forty percent (40.0%) of the total registered capital of the Company, and shall be the United States Dollar equivalent of US$2,000,000 (Two Million United States Dollars) in the form of a contribution in-kind as set forth on Schedule 1 hereto.
 
6.3 Additional Financing
 
The Company may obtain additional funds through loans from domestic or foreign financial institutions on terms and conditions approved by the Board of Directors and the Parties. Party A agrees to provide the Company a credit facility or a guarantee of a loan to the Company from a third party of up to US$2,000,000.00 (Two Million United States Dollars). In addition, the Company may also obtain loans or guarantees from the Parties or their Affiliates on terms and conditions to be determined by the relevant parties; provided, however, that no Party shall be obligated to lend funds to the Company or to guarantee a loan to the Company from a third party or financial institution beyond Party A’s commitment of the $2,000,000.00 credit facility or loan guarantee. In the event a Party does agree to lend funds to the Company or to guarantee a loan to the Company from a third party or financial institution, such Party shall be entitled to be paid interest on the loan at such rate or guarantee fees in such amount that such Party would have been entitled to be paid as if such Party were not a party to this Contract and as if the transaction were a negotiated arm’s length financing from a third party. The Company may mortgage or otherwise grant a security interest in those of its assets permitted by law to be mortgaged or secured in order to obtain loans.


Read more: http://www.faqs.org/sec-filings/120628/ECOTALITY-INC_8-K/v317176_ex10-1.htm#ixzz23G8Oah1S" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 
Hi There!
Join us on Monday, August 20th to learn about participating and to hear from industry speakers. Check out the link to RSVP and view details on this event!
http://bit.ly/Ray7ng" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 
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