2,500 charging stations for electric vehicles to be built in the Seattle

[eridani]

http://www.manufacturing.net/article.aspx?id=232102&wnnvz=1750,1254006

Over the next two years, 2,500 charging stations for electric vehicles will be built in the Seattle area as part of a partnership between Nissan North America and the Electric Transportation Engineering Corp., or eTec.

Representatives of eTec and Nissan were in Seattle Wednesday to show off Nissan's Leaf, a zero-emission, all-electric car that can travel up to 100 miles on one charge. Last summer, eTec received a $100 million stimulus grant through the U.S. Department of Energy for building charging stations in five areas: Tennessee, Oregon, San Diego, Seattle and Phoenix/Tucson. Project participants in each region will provide matching funds.

Mark Perry, director of product planning and advanced technology strategy at Nissan, said installation of stations in this area should begin next summer, with the first being completed by August or September. He said Nissan wants to have all the stations constructed by the fall of 2011.

Rich Feldman, eTec's Pacific Northwest regional manager for planning and business development, is overseeing the project in Washington. He said charging stations will be installed first in residential areas. Nissan Leaf buyers will receive a free 220-volt charging station for their home.

Most stations will take eight hours to fully charge a car, but 40 stations will give a substantial charge in 15 minutes. Nissan wants to have all the stations constructed by the fall of 2011.

[dysfunctional press]

1. people shouldn't confuse 'charging station' with 'gas station'....

Ron Posthuma, assistant director of the King County Department of Transportation, said he expects about 70 percent of the charging stations will be in homes, 20 percent in commercial space like malls or businesses, and about 10 percent will be publicly available.

a 'charging station' would be more comparable to a single pump at a 'gas station'

[sofa king]

3. They're almost like parking spaces.

I'm sure some will be tempted to use them as such.

[defendandprotect]

2. It's a beginning . . . at least as long as Repugs don't come along and rip them out !!!

Yes -- these could be like parking meters --

In fact, they took out the parking meters in our town and put in pay stations which

are a pain -- I only go downtown on Sundays now!

Evidently, the batteries are to be much improved and charging much quicker than 8 hours!!

That would be overnight -- full charge right now.

Evidently, government subsidized the building of gas stations way back when . . . ???!!!