SAN FRANCISCO, July 17, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ECOtality, Inc. (Nasdaq:ECTY), a leader in clean electric transportation and storage technologies, today announced the first Blink(R) DC Fast Charger in the San Francisco Bay Area has been installed at Volkswagen Group of America’s Electronics Research Laboratory (ERL) in Belmont, California.

The Blink DC Fast Charger is capable of providing an 80% charge in under 30 minutes for most electric vehicles (EVs).

“Installing the first publicly accessible Blink DC Fast Charger in Northern California is essential for connecting the San Jose to San Francisco corridor and serves as a cornerstone for growing our EV charge infrastructure,” stated Jonathan Read, CEO of ECOtality. “This installation symbolizes Volkswagen’s commitment to electric transportation and we look forward to working with them.”

Collaborating closely with the local utility, the installation of the DC Fast Charger will be open for public charging, and is the firstdeployed in California within The EV Project. Located just off Highway 101. So the Volkswagen Group Electronics Research Laboratory was chosen using criteria developed through the EV Micro-Climate(TM) process.

All which takes into account a variety of factors.
That’s including traffic patterns, regional attractions, and retail hubs. Also as well as input from many regional partners.

BLINK Charging

“We are excited to partner with ECOtality to bring the first publicly available Blink DC Fast Charger to Northern California. Thereby reinforcing Volkswagen’s ongoing commitment to sustainable mobility and clean, efficient transportation,” said Dr. Peter Oel, executive director, Volkswagen Group Electronics Research Laboratory. “This collaboration underscores Volkswagen Group’s Think Blue environmental strategy. It also supports our goal of offering a competitive suite of market viable technologies. Those that will significantly reduce or eliminate CO2 emissions. Especially for our customers today and into the future.”

Furthermore, the Blink DC Fast Charger is rated at 60 kW (200-450 VDC, up to 200A). It also provides a quick, safe method of charging EVs. Ideally suited for high-traffic commercial locations and major transportation corridors. So the dual-port charger features two EV fast charging connectors. Furthermore, it also provides an intuitive connector dock for storage and protection. The charger features two interactive touch screens and a 42” color display for media and messaging. To become a member of the Blink Network, visit https://www.blinknetwork.com/membership.html.

In addition, ECOtality is the project manager of The EV Project. It’s a research initiative to help build America’s future EV infrastructure. The project will also provide an EV infrastructure. All to support the deployment of EVs in key markets. The project is also public-private partnership. Funded in part by the U.S. Department of Energy. That’s through a federal stimulus grant. It’s also made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
(ARRA). Finally and for more information about The EV Project. Well, please visit www.theevproject.com.