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Ecotality to copilot with Australia on EV program

Victorian government in Australia is asking residents to volunteer for Blink Level 2 EV chargers in homes as part of a province-wide study.

Candace Lombardi
In a software-driven world, it's easy to forget about the nuts and bolts. Whether it's cars, robots, personal gadgetry or industrial machines, Candace Lombardi examines the moving parts that keep our world rotating. A journalist who divides her time between the United States and the United Kingdom, Lombardi has written about technology for the sites of The New York Times, CNET, USA Today, MSN, ZDNet, Silicon.com, and GameSpot. She is a member of the CNET Blog Network and is not a current employee of CNET.
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Candace Lombardi
Blink Level 2 wall mount charger from Ecotality for home use Ecotality

Ecotality announced today that it's been chosen to partner with the government of the Australian province Victoria to install and monitor Blink electric vehicle charging stations in a test project.

As part of the Victorian Electric Vehicle Trial, the Victorian Department of Transport is asking 180 households to volunteer to have Ecotality's Blink Level 2 fasting-charging stations installed in their homes and drive an electric vehicle (EV) for at least three months.

As with the U.S. EV test project, those who join the Victorian test project will be agreeing to have their chargers monitored so the government can collect data on usage habits. Ecotality will install its Blink Level 2 chargers, as well as maintain and monitor the data they collect.

While many EVs can be plugged into common household outlets to recharge, faster chargers like the Blink, the GE WattStation, and the Coulomb Technologies ChargePoint station can charge a car's battery much faster. The Blink Level 2, for example, can fully recharge a vehicle battery in two to six hours, according to Ecotality.

"Our government is committed to making this state an electric vehicle-friendly place and we understand how important cleaner, greener, and innovative travel options are to Victorians. The Electric Vehicle Trial will create real-life conditions by testing how drivers, vehicles, plug-in charging infrastructure and the electricity network will work in everyday situations," Victorian Premier John Brumby said in a statement.

Interested Victorians can apply to be a volunteer via the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria Web site.