The fill-ups of the future

California firm's plan for electric `gas stations' provides a glimpse of how it can be done

Jan 16, 2010

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One major question about electric cars is how to recharge them.

The simplistic answer is that owners will plug in at home overnight. That's fine for those with a garage or, at least, a driveway near an outlet. But for the many who live in multi-unit housing, park on the street or need a charge when away from home, something else is required.

One solution is to install charging stations in apartment, condo or office-tower garages, or at malls, parking lots and other public places. And, as quickly as you can say "plug-in," a business opportunity emerges.

This column is about the plan of one company, Coulomb Technologies Inc. It's not meant to advertise, let alone endorse, the California-based firm. The aim, thanks to information from senior sales vice-president Scott Saffian, is to suggest what's coming.

Coulomb makes charging stations and software to manage them. They come as 110-volt or 220-volt models; the bigger ones are expected to dominate. The software uses smart cards, email, texting and other devices to control access, billing, safety and security features, messages to drivers and communication with the utility running the local electricity grid.

Coulomb sells the chargers to distributors servicing a specific territory. They, on their own or through subcontractors known as resellers, then seek "hosts" – governments, businesses, malls, condos or apartments – who will buy chargers, at roughly $5,000 to $6,500 apiece (all figures U.S.), as well as sign up for installation and servicing.

Those hosts become, in effect, electric "gas stations."

Motorists must register to use Coulomb's chargers and pay the company $9 per month for access to the chargers and network.

Neither Coulomb nor its hosts charge for the actual amount of electricity that flows into participants' cars. In most places, that's illegal. Instead, hosts foot that bill and drivers pay for "sessions" on the charger.

Hosts can provide the electricity free – perhaps as a public service, publicity gambit or employee perk – or run their chargers as a commercial operation, in which case drivers pay rates set by Coulomb.

For now, the basic deal is $3 per session. Drivers can also pay a monthly fee in advance, ranging from $15 for 10 sessions between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m., up to $50 for unlimited access at any time. Those who choose 10 sessions can buy extras for $3 each, but if they use less, can't carry them to the next month.

Coulomb will keep 20 per cent of the session fees; the rest goes to the host.

Each session is, according to Coulomb's contract, 24 hours long. In reality, they'll be at the hosts' discretion and likely much shorter. The system signals a driver when the car is fully charged. Hosts might then allow a certain time to move the vehicle before they impose a stiff parking charge or even call a tow truck.

Last year, Coulomb sold nearly 700 chargers, mainly in the United States and about 300 were installed. The aim this year is to ship 10,000. Last month, Canada's first Coulomb charger was installed in Vancouver, and the company is close to contracting a distributor for the eastern half of the country.

Coulomb and its competitors are helping to ensure that charging networks will be available when plug-in cars hit the market. Since mass sales are a few years away it will be a while before such systems can make money. I hate to resort to this old copout, but here it's apt: This scheme is in its infancy. It remains to be seen how much it, or any other, will appeal to drivers or bankers.

peter.gorrie@sympatico.ca

Toronto Star