Whole Foods Opens Networked Charging Station Infrastructure for Electric Vehicles
Whole Foods Market yesterday installed its first charging station for electric vehicles the flagship store on Lamar Boulevard in its headquarters city of Austin, Texas.
The grocer is using ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations from Campbell, Calif.-based Coulomb Technologies, a provider of electric vehicle-charging station infrastructures.
“Whole Foods Market is committed to supporting wise environmental practices, which means making decisions that positively affect the health of our planet, its people and its resources,” said company spokesman Mark Dixon. “It is our hope that by offering electric vehicle charging, we can support alternative transportation and help Austin residents decrease their environmental impact.”
The Whole Foods charging station is a part of the ChargePoint Network, which is open to all drivers of plug-in vehicles and provides authentication, management and real-time control for the networked electric vehicle-charging stations. ChargePoint Network unique features include:
—Charging status by SMS text or e-mail notification
—Location of unoccupied charging stations via smart phones
—Authenticated access to eliminate energy theft
—Authorized energizing for safety
—Smart Grid integration for utility load management with future V2G capabilities
—A ChargePoint iPhone app
The network of electric vehicle charging stations is accessible to all plug-in drivers by making a toll free call to the 24/7 number on each charging station, or signing up for a ChargePoint Network monthly access plan and obtaining a ChargePass smart card. Other future payment options include using any smart (RFID) credit/debit card to authorize a session, or using a standard credit or debit card at a remote payment station (RPS) to pay for charging sessions.
The grocer is using ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations from Campbell, Calif.-based Coulomb Technologies, a provider of electric vehicle-charging station infrastructures.
“Whole Foods Market is committed to supporting wise environmental practices, which means making decisions that positively affect the health of our planet, its people and its resources,” said company spokesman Mark Dixon. “It is our hope that by offering electric vehicle charging, we can support alternative transportation and help Austin residents decrease their environmental impact.”
The Whole Foods charging station is a part of the ChargePoint Network, which is open to all drivers of plug-in vehicles and provides authentication, management and real-time control for the networked electric vehicle-charging stations. ChargePoint Network unique features include:
—Charging status by SMS text or e-mail notification
—Location of unoccupied charging stations via smart phones
—Authenticated access to eliminate energy theft
—Authorized energizing for safety
—Smart Grid integration for utility load management with future V2G capabilities
—A ChargePoint iPhone app
The network of electric vehicle charging stations is accessible to all plug-in drivers by making a toll free call to the 24/7 number on each charging station, or signing up for a ChargePoint Network monthly access plan and obtaining a ChargePass smart card. Other future payment options include using any smart (RFID) credit/debit card to authorize a session, or using a standard credit or debit card at a remote payment station (RPS) to pay for charging sessions.