EV Charging for London 2012 Olympic Games

ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGERS FOR LONDON 2012

CPS will supply 120 of GE Energy’s DuraStation electric vehicle chargers for the fleet of 200 BMW and MINI electric vehicles that will be used to transport athletes and officials between venues during London 2012 as well as providing and operating the Central Management System Software that will monitor and control the network of live charge posts.

After the Games, the chargers will become part of London public electric vehicle charging infrastructure, delivering a lasting legacy and the growth of supporting electric car use in the British capital.

CPS has already installed the UK’s largest commercially funded charge point network on behalf of Ecotricity, the UK’s biggest provider of green energy.  The network spans the UK motorway network and provides both 3 pin 13amp and 7 pin 32amp charging facilities to electric vehicle drivers.

Alex Bamberg, Sales Director of CPS says “The contract with LOCOG is a fantastic endorsement of our capabilities to enhance GE’s DuraStation design to meet the LOCOG requirements and also provide on-going back office support for the charge points. Our relationship with GE has gone from strength to strength and we look forward to delivering many more projects in the near future where we have already put forward a joint offer”

GE’s DuraStation supports faster charging by integrating higher voltages and currents that require specialized equipment and connectors.
In addition to a growing range of electric vehicle charging stations, GE Energy provides the full range of electrical systems and smart grid technology necessary to develop and manage a complete electric vehicle infrastructure.  Todd Johnstone, Chief Executive Officer of GE Energy’s Industrial Solutions says, “We are delighted to be supplying the Olympic and Paralympic Games with our EV chargers, showcasing them to the world”.

“Major manufacturers are now launching electric cars into the mainstream market; however the power grid will require significant investment to make their widespread use possible.  It will be up to companies such as GE Energy, to provide the technology and expertise to make this possible.”

It is estimated that every electric vehicle that comes on to the roads will require 1.5 chargers; in Europe alone, electric vehicle sales are expected to reach 0.5m per year by 2015.

As part of GE’s on-going product development for this important market GE is also releasing the WattStation wall-mounted residential units early in 2012.

As a company, GE is a vocal supporter of electric vehicles. Last year the company stated that it wanted to lead wide-scale electric adoption and generate growth for its businesses. Such goals meant GE plans to purchase 25,000 electric vehicles by 2015 for use as company cars and to lease to corporate customers through its Capital Fleet Services business.

In September 2011 the company signed a memorandum of understanding with car maker PSA Peugeot Citroën to collaborate towards establishing reliable business models for electric vehicles. As a sign of its engagement in the EV sector, GE has shown interest in buying 1,000 electric vehicles from PSA Peugeot Citroën in Europe.