In 2010, electric vehicle (EV) charging company Ecotality first introduced Blink, its line up of Level 2 EV charging units for the home and business. Now the company is offering two new EV chargers through its Blink HQ suite.
Both Level 2 units are aimed for the home owner. The first Blink HQ home charger, scheduled to go on sale later this summer, is a 30-amp unit that features user-selected delay (2, 4, 6, or 8-hour) option to optimize the EV charging experience. The second unit is scheduled to arrive later. According to the company, this unit will have connected capabilities and remote access, which means it’ll most likely have “smart grid” access (to manage power flow) and be controlled via smartphone apps. Regardless, purchasers of the Blink HQ chargers will be given free membership to the Blink Network of 4,000+ public EV charging stations as well as a $100 credit to use the network.
image via Ecotality
States CEO Ravi Brar of Ecotality: “Our premiere line of Blink HQ home charging products offer EV drivers exactly what they’ve been asking for: connection to the Blink Network, freedom to charge at home at their convenience and unprecedented value. As EV sales continue their rapid growth, Ecotality is meeting the need for smart, programmable and affordable quick chargers in the home.
“We see a clear connection between charging at home, at work, while shopping or on the road during a trip. Having Blink HQ home charging products in EV drivers’ homes, bundled with a membership, will help support our growth and generate an annuity base as the number of EV drivers grows.”
Image courtesy of Ecotality
Ecotality has not released pricing information on either charger at the time of this post, though it is taking reservations from interested parties. Note the company will continue to offer its wall-mounted units, which are now part of the Blink HQ suite.
Ecotality, like Coulomb Technologies, is a big player in the EV charging stationmarket. The company manages the federally-backed and funded EV Project, the largest EV-charging network here the U.S., and has been busily expanding into numerous states like Arizona, California, Tennessee, and—of course—Oregon. It has teamed with both computer network giant Cisco and telecomm company Sprintto assist users to manage their EV charging costs. As of this post, Blink has been installed in over 8,300 homes and the Blink Network includes over 4,000 public charging stations.
