ChargePoint and DBT – the leading companies in the EV supply equipment market, according to a recent report – have announced a joint offering.
At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, DBT USA announced that its new North American portfolio of level II charging stations (pictured) will have the option to connect to ChargePoint, which describes itself as the largest global EV charging network. This will provide station owners and EV drivers with advanced features that can help with trip planning and charge cost management, the companies said.
The partnership will also allow charging station operators to tailor their offering to get the best return on investment, DBT said.
The two companies are the clear leaders in their field, with large market shares, a range of critical geographic markets and a wide product offering, according to a Pike Research report released earlier this month.
DBT has over 10,000 units in 30 countries, and the range of ChargePoint-enabled stations will be released this quarter, the company said. ChargePoint’s own network of independently owned stations operates in over 14 countries.
In other EV news to emerge from the show, Ford launched a collaboration with Eaton, SunPower and Whirlpool to show how American households can combine plug-in vehicles, renewable energy generation and time-flexible electricity loads to reduce utility bills and carbon emissions. Semiconductor company Infineon and thermostat maker Nest Labs are also involved.
According to Ford, the project will focus on available efficiency technologies, such as EVs’ ability to time their charging to coincide with low-cost electricity hours, and appliances that reduce energy during peak periods. In addition, thermostats can be programmed to save energy when homeowners are away, and today’s rooftop solar systems are efficient, reliable and affordable, Ford said.
Implementing these technologies changes can cut a home’s energy costs by 60 percent and CO2 by 55 percent, according to a Georgia Institute of Technology computer model commissioned by Ford.
The MyEnergy Lifestyle project will award one American family with free delivery and installation of products from the participating companies.
In August 2011, Ford and SunPower announced a rooftop solar system they said would provide Focus Electric owners with enough renewable energy to offset the electricity used to charge the vehicle.