Electric Vehicle News

• Leviton Announces UL Listing for the “Plugged-In”

  Product Part of Evr-GreenTM Line of Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment

  Melville, New York, March 4, 2011 - Leviton announced today that its Evr-Green^TM 160 Level 2 Home Charging Station has received Underwriters Laboratories Inc.^® (UL) Listing for Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) in the United States and Canada.

  Slated to be available for purchase in mid-April, the charger is part of Leviton's Evr-Green line of residential, commercial and public charging equipment. Evr-Green chargers comply with all industry standards, including the current National Electrical Code^®. Assembled in the United States, they also are backed by a three-year warranty, and are compatible with all major automakers' vehicles (SAE J1772^TM compliant).

  "Receiving UL Listing demonstrates that our chargers meet the rigorous requirements of the world's foremost independent safety testing and certification agency," said Mike Mattei, vice president and general manager for Leviton's Commercial and Industrial Division. "As we continue our efforts to help build a more sustainable future, this marks another milestone in Leviton's development of industry-leading EV charging solutions for all customer segments."

  Jeff Smidt, vice president and general manager for UL's Global Power and Controls business, said, "UL is strongly engaged in the electric vehicle infrastructure and operation to assure safety certification services evolve with the emerging technologies. In the case of the UL listing Leviton's Plugged-In Residential Charging Station, we are proud to provide the UL mark to their product."

  The Evr-Green 160 Level 2 Home Charging Station provides up to 16 amps at 240 volts AC (3.8kW output). It will be available in a patent-pending plug-in design and a hardwired version. The Evr-Green 160 is compatible with Leviton's Evr-green Home Charging Station Pre-Wire System. The installation kit was UL Listed in 2010.

  The Evr-Green product lines have been specifically developed to meet stringent automotive quality, product development and testing requirements. "We are pleased to offer the Evr-Green 160 for our lead automotive customers in 2011," said Manoj Karwa, Director, EVSE Programs for Leviton. 

  Well-suited for residential markets, the Evr-Green 160 has enhanced safety features, outdoor ratings, environmentally friendly components and a modular design for upgradeability. The Evr-Green products are planned to be available through multiple channels - electrical distributors, retail, online and through automakers in 2011.

  About Leviton
  Leviton Manufacturing Company is the largest privately held global provider of electrical wiring devices, data center connectivity solutions and lighting energy management systems. Founded at the turn of the 20th century in America, Leviton has grown to become one of the preeminent leaders in the electrical industry. Today Leviton's product portfolio consists of over 25,000 devices and systems used in homes, businesses and industry. Proven to be a smart choice, nine out of 10 homes throughout North America have Leviton products installed in them. Builders, electrical contractors and other industry professionals rank Leviton products No. 1 in brand preference. To request more information about Leviton's Evr-Green portfolio, please visit http://www.evrgreeninfo.com/.

   

• Underwriters Laboratories launches first electric vehicle charging equipment installation training program

  UL will train and certify equipment installers to expedite the proliferation of environmentally friendly electric vehicles

  NORTHBROOK, Ill., December 7, 2010 - Underwriters Laboratories (UL), a global leader in safety testing and certification, announced today the launch of a new program designed to train and certify installers of electric vehicle (EV) supply equipment. This program represents the first of its kind training initiative developed for electricians and other EV industry practitioners who seek to expand their professional credentials and become qualified to install EV charging equipment.
  
  "UL continues to be the driving force in safety testing and certification, not only by developing standards, innovating testing methodologies and expanding its service offerings, but also by creating new training programs for industries that employ cutting-edge technologies," said Gary Savin, UL's Vice President and General Manager for Global Power and Controls. "Our new EV Charging Equipment Installation training program will help develop specialists qualified to install and support electric vehicle infrastructure, enabling its rapid proliferation while creating more green jobs."
  
  The training program was developed in collaboration with EV Connect, a leading provider of electric vehicle infrastructure solutions, and is now available on-line through UL University. "It is a very timely initiative to provide high caliber training programs that will support industry growth through workforce development", said Jordan Ramer, CEO of EV Connect. "UL is leading the way and we are happy to contribute our expertise to this important undertaking."
  
  Upon the successful completion of this program, the participants will be able to demonstrate their understanding of relevant National Electric Code (NEC) articles, various installation requirements, UL electric vehicle safety standards and emerging electric vehicle infrastructure technology. The participants who meet all of the requirements will receive the UL certificate. In addition, credential records will be available for verification purposes through UL's electronic database available on-line for public use.
  
  This program is the first of a series of training initiatives that UL is developing for the EV industry. UL is also in the process of developing similar programs for code officials, inspectors, and designers. When complete, these certification programs will include both classroom and hands-on training. In addition, they will include requirements for overall professional experience and will offer continuing education opportunities.
  
  For more information on UL's new training program, or to register, please visit this link: http://www.uluniversity.us/catalog/display.resource.aspx?resourceid=303396. For UL's other initiatives in the EV industry, visit: http://www.ul.com/electricvehicle/

• Underwriters Laboratories Creates Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment Installation Training Programs

  By partnering with equipment and infrastructure designers, manufacturers, installers and inspectors to promote consistent safety standards, UL is enabling faster marker adoption of Electric Vehicles.

  NORTHBROOK, Ill., July 27, 2010 - Underwriters Laboratories (UL), a world leader in safety testing and certification, announces a new initiative to develop and launch electric vehicle installation training programs aimed at furthering the development and installation of electric vehicle charging equipment.

  With President Obama's call for at least 1 million electric vehicles in the United States by 2015, several major automakers are poised to offer various models of fully electric (as opposed to gas-electric hybrid) vehicles to American consumers. To support the anticipated demand for electric vehicles, the race is on to develop, manufacture and install a large enough network of charging stations so that mass-market adoption of electric vehicles can become a reality.

  Offered through UL University, UL's new training programs will provide a platform for various stakeholders who are involved in the design, construction, installation and inspection of electric vehicle charging equipment. A training module, as well as a hands-on testing component, will allow participants to demonstrate their understanding of relevant National Electric Code (NEC) articles, various installation requirements, UL electric vehicle safety standards and emerging electric vehicle infrastructure technology. UL is also developing programs for code officials and inspectors, installers and designers.

  "The industry is well aware that the availability of safely installed charging stations poses a limiting factor in how quickly Americans adopt electric vehicles," said Gary Savin, UL's Vice President and General Manager for Electric Vehicle and Global Power and Control Business Unit. "We believe that the creation of these training programs can speed up the development, installation and inspection of the electric vehicle charging equipment process within the United States. And we plan on developing similar programs for other countries around the world."

  UL anticipates that the training programs will be launched in the early fall of 2010, in time for the introduction of the plug-in and battery electric vehicle. In addition to the general training program for installers, UL will also be creating a company-specific training program which will allow for infrastructure equipment manufacturers to have installers trained on their equipment.

  In addition, UL is developing a webinar on UL's electric vehicle safety standards. This webinar will focus on the relevant electric vehicle standards for off-board equipment as well as offer a brief overview of the relevant international standards. UL anticipates that the electric vehicle UL standards webinar will be held in the early fall of 2010. For additional information, and to be notified when the webinar is scheduled, please visit www.ul.com/electricvehicle.

• Underwriters Laboratories Joins Electric Drive Transportation Association

  Company continues the effort to accelerate the electricification of the transportation industry

  NORTHBROOK, Ill., June 29, 2010 - Underwriters Laboratories (UL), a world leader in safety testing and certification, became a member of the Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA), the preeminent industry association dedicated to advancing electric drive as a core technology on the road to sustainable mobility. UL continues to lead the effort within the industry to promote safety for electric drive vehicles (EDVs) and related infrastructure by developing new testing methodologies that are subsequently reflected in the safety and performance standards developed by UL. This membership in EDTA helps UL to join the unified voice of leading and emerging vehicle, battery and component manufacturers, as well as electricity providers, smart grid and infrastructure developers, and others advancing transportation enabled by electricity.

  The accelerated development of the EDVs industry is going to have a significant and positive effect on the North American and global economies and the environment. It is estimated by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory that if 73% of the nation's light duty vehicles were fueled by electricity, the U.S. could displace 6.2 million barrels of oil a day, about 52% of current oil imports. In addition to increasing our energy security, the growth of electric drive transportation sector will also create green jobs and increase U.S. competitiveness in advanced energy technology markets.

  "EDTA welcomes our new member UL, an organization with over 116 years of expertise in developing new safety standards for new technologies. Because of this history, UL can provide a unique contribution to our efforts to reduce market hurdles for electric drive vehicles and infrastructure, expand manufacturing capacities, establish coherent regulatory policies, accelerate technological breakthroughs and increase consumer acceptance.," said EDTA's President Brian Wynne.

  UL has already developed new standards for the electric drive batteries and infrastructure components. UL tests and certifies electric drive vehicle charging stations and off-board chargers for both private and commercial use, which are important to the widespread adoption of grid connected electric drive vehicles. "Electric drive transportation will have tremendous benefits for the global economy and worldwide carbon footprint. Ensuring the safety of these new technologies is critical to commercial scale adoption and consumer acceptance," said Gary Savin, UL's Vice President and General Manager for Global Power and Controls business. "We invest heavily in R&D of new testing methodologies, development of new standards and building global partnerships to accelerate the advancement of safe electric drive vehicles on the road."

  UL has also recently joined The EV Project as a sole certifier of the charging stations that will be built in major metropolitan areas in the U.S. It has also been providing its technical expertise to support Project Get Ready, an initiative to aid U.S. cities preparing for widespread adoption and use of electric vehicles (EVs) in their communities. To learn more about UL's involvement in the electric drive vehicle industry, please visit the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure section on UL.com.

  About Electric Drive Transportation Association

  Founded in 1989, EDTA is the preeminent industry association dedicated to advancing electric drive as a core technology on the road to sustainable mobility. As an advocate for the adoption of electric drive technologies, EDTA serves as the unified voice for the industry and is the primary source of information and education related to electric drive. Our membership includes a diverse representation of vehicle and equipment, manufacturers, energy providers, component suppliers and end users.

• Coulomb Technologies Achieves UL Listing from Underwriters Laboratories for ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations for Electric Vehicles

  Now Available and Shipping: ChargePoint UL Listed EV Charging Stations

  CAMPBELL, Calif., June 9, 2010 - Coulomb Technologies today announced that its ChargePoint® CT2100 charging station has been certified to Underwriters Laboratories' new requirements UL Subject 2594. UL Subject 2594 is the safety requirement covering Electric Vehicle (EV) supply equipment, and Coulomb's ChargePoint CT2100 product family is one of the first charging stations to be evaluated to this standard. In addition, the CT2100 is certified to UL 1998, UL 991, UL 2231-1 and UL 2231-2 standards. The CT2100 family of charging stations supports both Level II 2080/240V, 30A charging (via the SAE J1772™ connector) and Level I 120V, 16A charging via a standard NEMA 5-20 outlet therby offering the ability to charge almost any EV. UL evaluates representative products, components, materials and systems for compliance to specific requirements, and authorizes manufacturers of compliant products to display the UL Mark on those products.

  "Being able to display the UL Mark on our product is significant for many reasons," said Richard Lowenthal, CEO of Coulomb Technologies. "UL is a world leader in product safety testing and certification and adherence to their safety standards is required by many municipalities, utilities and businesses. Coulomb's ChargePoint CT 2100 is in high demand in part because it is the only charging station that has a Level I/II UL Listing that is shipping today. This technology is proven, certified and available."

  The CT2100 product family and all ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations are network-enabled, capable of reporting energy usage and communicating over the network with Software Application Services and Network Support Services to activate capabilities such as:

  • Providing open access for all drivers using any standards-based RFID card
  • Generating revenue for station owners to offset electricity and maintenance costs
  • Sending SMS or Email notifications to drivers for charging complete or interruptions in charging
  • Controlling access to eliminate energy theft and to enhance safety
  • Integrating with the utility Smart Grid for demand side management and preferred pricing

  "In 2009 UL led the development of a new set of safety requirements in anticipation of a growing market for electric vehicles, infrastructure and accompanying products," said Gary Savin, UL's Vice President and General Manager for Global Power and Controls business. "Coulomb is one of the early pioneers in having their product listed to UL Subject 2594. This is a significant milestone for UL, Coulomb and the industry as a whole as it paves the way for new EV infrastructure in the United States."

  About Coulomb Technologies

  Coulomb Technologies is the leader in electric vehicle charging station infrastructure with networked charging stations installed in municipalities and organizations worldwide. Coulomb provides a vehicle-charging infrastructure, with an open system driver network: the ChargePoint Network (www.mychargepoint.net) provides multiple web-based portals for Hosts, Fleet managers, Drivers, and Utilities, and ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations ranging in capability from 120 Volt to 240 Volt AC charging and up to 500 Volt DC charging. For more information, follow Coulomb on Twitter at twitter.com/coulombevi. To request a charging station in your area, visit http://www.mychargepoint.net/request-station.php. To download the ChargePoint iPhone App, click here.

   

• UL named Exclusive Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory for Groundbreaking Electric Vehicle Deployment

  NORTHBROOK, Ill., April 6, 2010 - Underwriters Laboratories (UL), a global leader in safety testing and certification, was recently named the exclusive Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory for The EV Project, a groundbreaking study of electric vehicle (EV) charging station infrastructure. The company signed a memorandum of understanding with Electric Transportation Engineering Corporation (eTec), a wholly owned subsidiary of ECOtality, Inc. (OTCBB: ETLE), to test and certify eTec's vehicle charging stations that will be used in the project. UL joins eTec, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and more than 40 other partners embarking on the largest deployment of electric vehicles and charge infrastructure in history.

  The EV Project began in October 2009 when ECOtality's eTec was awarded a federal stimulus grant of nearly $100 million from the DOE, and will deploy 4,700 zero-emissions vehicles, the Nissan LEAF, for the three-year study. The vehicles will be powered by 11,210 UL Listed charging stations in homes, and commercial and public locations in five U.S. states: Arizona (Phoenix and Tucson), Washington (Seattle), Oregon (Portland, Salem, Corvallis and Eugene), California (San Diego) and Tennessee (Chattanooga, Knoxville and Nashville).

  "UL's partnership with eTec and involvement in The EV Project exemplifies our commitment to the development and deployment of safe, reliable clean technologies," said Gary Savin, vice president and general manager, UL Power and Controls business unit. "Public safety remains essential as governments, manufacturers, public utilities, certification organizations and other partners work together to build a global electric vehicle infrastructure and introduce safe products to the marketplace more quickly and efficiently."

  Manufacturers work with UL to develop safer products and increase consumer confidence. To support the advancement of EV infrastructures, UL tests and certifies products and components such as electric vehicle large batteries, charging stations and power cord sets to the safety standards it publishes.

  UL will test and certify eTec's Level Two charging systems and Level Three DC fast chargers to its safety requirements, UL Subject 2594, and its standard for Safety of Electric Vehicle Charging System Equipment, UL 2202, respectively. These standards and requirements are used to assess the safety of the overall charging systems and interoperability of its components.

  Once UL certified, Level Two plug-in systems will be installed in homes of the electric vehicles owners for overnight charging, as well as in many publicly accessible areas. Level Three fast-charge stations, which are capable of charging an EV battery to 80 percent capacity in 15 to 20 minutes, will be installed in a variety of commercial venues in participating cities to further extend the range of electric vehicles. 

  ECOtality's President and CEO Jonathan Read said, "Our goal is to facilitate simple, smart and effective transition to electrically-powered vehicles in the United States and around the world. I am very pleased to have UL join us in reaching that goal."

  eTec's President and CEO Don Karner added, "This is an exciting and pivotal time in the EV industry.  UL's experience in ensuring the safety of consumers is critical to the success of The EV Project, and the successful launch and acceptance of electric transportation."

  The EV Project will collect data that will allow project partners to analyze vehicle use in diverse topographic and climatic conditions, evaluate the effectiveness of charge infrastructure, and test revenue systems for commercial and public charge infrastructure. For more information about The EV Project, visit http://www.theevproject.com/.

• UL signed MOU with Industrial Technology Research Institute in Taiwan to develop safety requirements for electric vehicles

  Taipei, March 17, 2010 - Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL), a world leader in product safety testing and certification services, today signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Taiwan's globally renowned Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) to develop safety testing methodologies and requirements for power systems in electric vehicles.

  The electric vehicle (EV) industry has become a major emerging focus worldwide. One of the critical factors driving the widespread adoption of EVs is product safety. To address product safety concerns and to help EV manufacturers to get their new products to the global market timely and efficiently, UL has been developing new safety standards for the EV industry. 

  "We expect our alliance with ITRI, the organization that has leading R&D capabilities and strong industry ties, to accelerate Taiwan's development of electric vehicles that combine performance and security," said Gary Savin, UL's vice president and general manager of global power & controls business. "We are contributing our technological expertise, which is backed by more than a century of experience in safety testing, certification and standards development." 

  After releasing a new set of requirements for electric vehicle charges in 1998, UL has been delivering a broad range of testing solutions and safety standards for electric vehicles and associated components. In the next five years, UL and ITRI plan to develop testing methodologies for safety of electric vehicles, including charging systems (on and off-vehicle), power batteries, and electric power systems. 

  "UL's expertise in testing and certification services will further strengthen our efforts in developing integrated technologies in electric vehicles," said ITRI President Johnsee Lee. "We believe the partnership with UL will capitalize on Taiwan's excellent industrial base in car electronics and stimulate progress and innovation on safety standards, product design, and testing methodologies in electric vehicles, giving Taiwan manufacturers significant enhancements for product quality and time-to-market."

  In 2009 UL also established the Advanced Energy Safety Center (AESC) to conduct research for safety of emerging technologies in Taiwan. AESC focuses on safety-testing technologies that support development of EV power systems as well as systems that generate power from renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind.

• UL signs MOU with Rocky Mountain Institute to help prepare cities for widespread use of electric vehicles

  NORTHBROOK, Ill., Jan. 27, 2010 - Underwriters Laboratories (UL), a global leader in safety testing and certification, has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the non-profit Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) to support Project Get Ready, an initiative to aid U.S. cities preparing for widespread adoption and use of electric vehicles (EVs) in their communities. 

  As a technical advisor, UL will contribute its technical judgment and expertise to the on-going process of sharing information, lessons learned and best practices among the various project's stakeholders.  UL's engineers will answer questions about EVs and EV infrastructure as well as review and provide feedback on drafts of key documents RMI distributes to project stakeholders.  These stakeholders represent at least 20 different U.S. cities that are pioneers in the adoption of cleaner transportation.  Project Get Ready leverages the Internet to share key learnings and experiences through an interactive database that captures the collective knowledge of participants.

  According to RMI, the potential impact of the project promises to be enormous: by 2015, approximately 1 million EVs are expected on the road with five times that many expected by 2020. Use of EVs in Asia and Europe is expected to grow at a similar pace.  Being able to charge EVs safely is critical for the adoption and proliferation of EVs and EV infrastructure in the United States and around the globe.  

  "Widespread use of electric vehicles in communities can only be achieved if both commercial users and consumers have an easy, fast and readily available way to charge their vehicles safely," said Joseph Bablo, UL's technical expert on EVs and the RMI primary contact.  "As a technical advisor, UL can share its experience with communities grappling with the safety challenges around building and maintaining their electrical vehicle infrastructure."

  UL's involvement with Project Get Ready is just one of the activities UL has underway to support development of a safe infrastructure for EVs.  Applying more than a century of experience in safety testing and certification, UL is supporting EV advancement by developing safety standards for batteries and infrastructure components, evaluating new technologies hitting the global market place, and working with regulatory authorities to identify and address safety and environmental concerns. 

  About RMI

  Rocky Mountain Institute® (RMI®) is an independent, entrepreneurial, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. RMI drives the efficient and restorative use of resources to make the world secure, just, prosperous, and life-sustaining.  RMI's research and consulting staff works with businesses, communities, and organizations around the world in three interconnected practices: the built environment, energy and resources, mobility and vehicle efficiency.  RMI's work incorporates a unique blend of whole-system thinking, integrative design, end-use/least-cost analysis, and an interdisciplinary knowledge of advanced technologies and techniques.  For more information, visit http://www.rmi.org/.