Task force seeks outlets for electric cars

2012 will be a "make or break" year for electric cars in Nevada as local dealerships start offering these vehicles to consumers for the first time. New models with plug-in hybrid and electric drive systems will include the Fisker Karma, Nissan Leaf, Toyota Prius PHV, Chevrolet Volt, Ford Focus Electric, Mitsubishi "i," Tesla Motors Model S, Coda and other potential surprises. But where will electric car owners plug in once they make their purchases?

In February, NV Energy and the Nevada Department of Transportation instituted an Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Readiness Task Force. After initial meetings at locations in both Las Vegas and Reno , membership has grown to more than 117 participants from statewide government agencies, businesses, universities and nonprofit organizations, many who communicate regularly through Internet Web conference calls.

The task force has been divided into four working groups to focus on specific issues related to the rollout of electric vehicles : charging station infrastructure, building codes and equipment standards, fleet operations and educational outreach.

In addition to contacting automotive manufacturers that will be providing these new electric car models, the task force helped coordinate installation projects with the electric-vehicle supply equipment manufacturers, which will provide the charging stations needed to plug in and recharge the internal battery packs of electric cars. These include Siemens AG, EV Charge America, Aerovironment, Clipper Creek, Coulomb Technologies, Leviton, GE and ECOtality.

The Society of Automotive Engineers has established an industry standard for electric car charging equipment known as SAE J1772-2009. There are two power levels to this automotive manufacturing standard that determine the amount of electric energy delivered to an electric car battery pack as well as how fast the battery pack will recharge. These are denoted as AC Level 1 and AC Level 2.

Most of today's electric cars have their recharging electronics located on board the vehicle. The equipment necessary to plug into an electric power source actually consists of a smart relay that communicates with the charger and battery pack to determine how much power is actually needed to recharge the battery pack . Once the proper amount of power is determined and the car's onboard charger becomes tuned to receive it, the relay within the charging equipment closes and allows the power from the outlet to travel through to the onboard electric car charger and battery pack. A Level 1 cable assembly with smart relay module is now standard equipment with the purchase of any electric car.

Charging equipment rated as Level 1 can plug into any 120-volt outlet and draw electric current up to 16 amperes. Level 2 charging equipment can plug into a 240-volt outlet and draw electric current up to 80 amperes. Many home garages are already wired for 240-volt current to provide power for electric clothes dryers or power tools. If 240-volt wiring is not available, homeowners will need to coordinate with local electricians for proper installation . A federal income tax credit of as much as $1,000 is available to individual consumers and as much as $30,000 for businesses who purchase Level 2 charging equipment before Dec. 31.

But what if someone lives in an apartment or parks on a street overnight? What kind of public charging stations are available within the Las Vegas Valley?

The Clark County Government Center on South Grand Central Parkway now includes a parking carport covered with photovoltaic solar panels that will help provide power to six Level 2 charging stations . The cities of North Las Vegas and Las Vegas have also teamed up to install 15 public EV charging stations by November 2012.

On the Strip, MGM Resorts International has led the EV infrastructure development effort by installing a Level 2 station in the valet parking area of The Shoppes at Mandalay Place that can service two electric vehicles, as well as a single-plug charging station at the Aria in CityCenter. The company plans to install a third charging station at The Mirage in the next few months.

The Continental Hotel and Casino also has a charging station in its parking garage. The Element Hotel located in Summerlin has an Level 1 charging station and dedicated parking site available.

Retail corporations with plans to install charging stations at shopping malls nationwide and throughout Southern Nevada include Walmart and Walgreens. Local car dealerships selling plug-in vehicles also will provide charging stations at their sites. Much of this electric fuel will be provided free during the first year of installation.

Drivers can locate charging stations by consulting their electric car's GPS navigation map system. Electric car owners can also download an electric charger "map app" like ReCarGo.com to their mobile phones or tablets. Some navigation apps will even show if a charging station is occupied .

Several municipal and corporate fleets have already added electric cars like the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf to their motor pools this year, including the city of Las Vegas and NV Energy. Enterprise Rent-A-Car will also provide plug-in electric cars as part of its rental fleet to visitors arriving at McCarran International Airport.

The task force has created a "knowledge center" with educational resources that are freely available to architects, city planners, building inspectors, fleet managers, automotive dealerships and the general public at https://eresourcecenter.org/kc/EVIRTF

May you enjoy a happy holiday season and an electric new year!

Stan Hanel has worked in the electronics industry for more than 30 years and is a long-time member of the Electric Auto Association and the Las Vegas Electric Vehicle Association. Hanel writes and edits for EAA's "Current Events" and LVEVA's "Watts Happening" newsletters. Contact him at stanhanel@aol.com