NAFTC eNews

Obama Nominates Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx as New Transportation Secretary

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:38:00 EST

On April 29th, President Obama nominated Mayor Anthony Foxx of Charlotte, North Carolina for the position of Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT).

President Barack Obama nominated Anthony Foxx (pictured above) for the position of Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). Credit: City of Charlotte.

If confirmed by the Senate, Foxx would succeed the current Secretary of the USDOT, Republican Ray LaHood, who announced plans this January to step down from his position as soon as a replacement was found for him.

“I know Anthony’s experience will make him an outstanding Transportation Secretary. He’s got the respect of his peers, mayors and governors all across the country. And as a consequence, I think that he’s going to be extraordinarily effective,” President Obama said in his nomination speech. “One of the things that Ray [LaHood] taught me in watching him do his job is that establishing personal relationships with mayors and governors and county executives makes all the difference in the world, because transportation is one of those things that—it’s happening on the ground.”

Foxx is the first African American to be nominated for a Cabinet position during President Obama’s second term.

While Foxx has not previously worked in the transportation sector, federal officials have stressed that he has been involved in several transportation projects as mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina. Foxx has supported launching the Charlotte Streetcar Project, which aims to provide the city with an electric tram service with help from a $25 million federal grant. In addition, the city has worked to install a third parallel runway at the Charlotte/Douglas International Airport and has drawn up plans to extend the city’s LYNX light rail system north to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

“President Obama has tapped an exceptional leader to take the wheel at America’s premier transportation agency. Anthony Foxx, who helped solve tough transportation challenges as mayor of Charlotte, will put that experience to work for our country, creating jobs and improving rail, bus, and other public transportation. That will benefit us all by reducing the nation’s pollution, dependence on oil, and traffic congestion in our communities and on our highways,” said National Resources Defense Council Executive Director Peter Lehner in a public statement.

“Anthony Foxx is the right person to carry on the important work initiated by Secretary LaHood to modernize our country’s public transportation systems and the infrastructure needed to carry us forward in the 21st century,” Lehner added.

Foxx holds degrees from Davidson College and New York University. He has held several positions within the federal government, including jobs in the House Judiciary Committee and the Justice Department. Foxx was elected mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina in 2009 and re-elected for a second term in 2011.
The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee could host hearings on Foxx’s nomination as early as late May or June. The full Senate will have to confirm him. If confirmed, it is anticipated that Foxx could be on the job by July 4.

NAFTC Promotes First Responder Safety Training at FDIC and Fire-Rescue Med

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:39:09 EST

The National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium displayed their award winning First Responder Safety Training curricula at two industry conferences, the Fire Department Instructors’ Conference (FDIC), April 22 through 27 and Fire-Rescue Med, May 3 through 7.

The NAFTC hosted a display to promote the full suite of First Responder Safety Training and materials, including the electric drive online course at FDIC, the world’s largest fire training-based conference and exhibition, at the Indianapolis Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN.

The workshops equip firefighters with the knowledge they need to safely respond to automotive incidents involving various types of alternative fuel vehicles including gaseous fuels (natural gas and propane); biofuels (biodiesel and ethanol); hydrogen; and electric drive vehicles, including hybrid electric, plug-in hybrid electric, battery electric, and fuel cell electric vehicles. Participants in the course learn about different alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicle configurations and their built-in safety systems; how to identify these vehicles at an accident scene; battery technologies and electric vehicle systems for electric drive vehicles; and how to approach, assess, and secure the vehicles.

In addition to the classroom workshops, the NAFTC also offers an 8-hour online course in First Responder Safety Training for Electric Drive Vehicles. Thanks to a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the NAFTC is able to offer a limited number of scholarships for firefighters to obtain this online course for free.

“Not all firefighters are able to participate in classroom-based training due to location, cost, and time constraints. Because of this, the NAFTC is happy to offer scholarships to a limited number of firefighters so that they can learn about the differences between conventional and electric drive vehicles,” said NAFTC Project Manager Amy Gandy. “This is important safety information that every firefighter should know.”

The NAFTC also displayed its Hybrid Electric Vehicle Educator at the event. HEVTE is a heavily modified, cutaway Toyota Prius. This fully functional vehicle allowed show attendees to view and safely interact with the hybrid electric vehicle components. By scanning electronic QR codes, show attendees gained a basic overview of the components that make a hybrid differ from conventional vehicles.

NAFTC Assistant Director – Training and Curriculum Development Micheal Smyth talks with show attendees about the components on HEVTE.

“HEVTE allows first responders to see what they will be dealing with when responding to vehicle accidents that involve hybrid vehicles,” said NAFTC Assistant Director – Communications and Outreach Judy Moore. “Electric drive technology has continued to evolve and improve, and the NAFTC is committed to making sure our curricula and training aids are on the cutting edge as well.”

More than 30,000 fire fighters attended the 2013 FDIC.

Representatives from the NAFTC also attended and exhibited at Fire-Rescue Med at the Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas, NV May 3 through 7. Fire-Rescue Med is the premier conference for fire-based EMS leaders, including new and aspiring chiefs. The conference provides education and training on hiring and all aspects of fire-based EMS services.

“Face-to-face marketing is still one of the best tools you have to reach and influence customers. The Fire-Rescue Med 2013 Conference gave the NAFTC a great way to meet the leaders and rising stars of the fire service and EMS industry,” said NAFTC Acting Director Bill Davis. “The conference showcases education and hands-on training and provides attendees with an exhibition hall with the latest and greatest products. And the NAFTC First Responder Safety Training materials were right in place.”

“The interest exhibited by attendees was fantastic,” Davis continued. “They were extremely pleased with the QRG phone app that allows users to have immediate information on advanced technology and alternative fuel vehicles at the scene of an accident or incident. And the availability of online training was a plus for professionals who have many demands put on their time. With the online training, they can access it when their schedules permit. All-in-all, the Fire-Rescue Med 2013 Conference was a fantastic experience for the NAFTC and the fire service industry.”

DOE Awards $17.7 Million to Develop Drop-In Biofuels for Military Jets, Ships

Thu, 16 May 2013 17:18:00 EST

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced that it has awarded up to $17.7 million in grants to assist several biorefineries in developing drop-in biofuels that meet military specifications for jet fuel and shipboard diesel. The funds will go to four pilot-scale biorefineries: BioProcess Algae; Cobalt Technologies; Frontline BioEnergy LLC; and Mercurius Biorefining, Inc. Recipients of the grant money are required to contribute a minimum of 50% matching funds for these projects.

“Advanced biofuels are an important part of President Obama’s all-of-the-above strategy to reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil, improve our energy security, and protect our air and water,” said former Energy Secretary Steven Chu. “The innovative biorefinery projects announced today mark an important step toward producing fuels for our American military and the civil aviation industry from renewable resources found right here in the United States.”

As part of this effort, the Department is helping to speed the development of hydrocarbon-based biofuels that are more compatible with today’s infrastructure and engines, including heavy-duty vehicles. According to the Energy Department’s Billion Ton Study, advanced biofuels have the potential to displace approximately one-third of the nation’s current petroleum usage.

The DOE announced plans to award up to $17.7 million in funds to four biorefineries, including Frontline BioEnergy LLC. Pictured above is their commercial gasifier installation at the Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company (CVEC) in Benson, Minnesota. Credit: Frontline BioEnergy LLC.

The four projects selected for the DOE grant-funding will use a variety of non-food biomass feedstocks, waste-based materials, and algae in innovative conversion processes to produce biofuels that meet military specifications for jet fuel and diesel.

More details on each of the projects are listed below.

BioProcess Algae (up to $6.4 million; Shenandoah, Iowa): The BioProcess Algae project will evaluate an innovative algal growth platform that will produce hydrocarbon fuels meeting military specifications using renewable carbon dioxide, lignocellulosic sugars, and waste heat. The proposed biorefinery will integrate low-cost autotrophic algal production, accelerated lipid production, and lipid conversion. While the primary product from the proposed biorefinery will be the military fuels, the facility will also co-produce additional products, including other hydrocarbons, glycerine, and animal feed.

Cobalt Technologies (up to $2.5 million; Mountain View, California): Cobalt Technologies will operate a pilot-scale integrated biorefinery to convert switchgrass to bio-jet fuel. Together with its partners, including the Naval Air Warfare China Lake Weapons Division, Show Me Energy Cooperative, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Cobalt intends to build a pilot-scale facility to purify and convert butanol to jet fuel.

Frontline BioEnergy LLC (up to $4.2 million; Ames, Iowa): Building on prior commercial-scale gasification success, Frontline BioEnergy, along with its project partners SGC Energia, Stanley Consultants, and Delphi Engineering and Construction LLC, will build and integrate an innovative new pilot-scale TarFreeGas reactor and new gas conditioning processes with an existing Fischer Tropsch (FT) unit capable of producing one barrel per day of FT liquids from woody biomass, municipal solid waste, and refuse derived fuel at the Iowa Energy Center’s Biomass Energy Conversion Facility. These liquids will be upgraded to produce samples of biofuels that meet military specifications.

Mercurius Biorefining, Inc (up to $4.6 million; Ferndale, Washington): For its project, Mercurius will build and operate a pilot plant that uses an innovative process to convert the cellulosic biomass into non-sugar intermediates, which are further processed into drop-in bio-jet fuel and chemicals. Several organizations are participating in this consortium led by Mercurius Biorefining, including Purdue University, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and Incitor.

Tesla Model S Achieves 99/100 Rating from Consumer Reports

Tue, 14 May 2013 13:59:00 EST

Earlier this month, Consumer Reports announced that the Tesla Model S had scored the highest in its automobile test ratings with a near-perfect score of 99/100. In fact, the pure electric sedan has achieved the highest score that Consumer Reports has ever given a vehicle (with the exception of the Lexus LS460 in 2009, which also achieved a score of 99/100).

In addition to snagging a top spot on the Consumer Reports automobile test ratings, the Model S has also received several other prestigious awards, including the Motor Trend’s 2013 Car of the Year award, the Automobile Magazine’s 2013 Automobile of the Year award, the Green Car Reports’ Best Car to Buy award, and the 2013 World Green Car award.

Consumer Reports lists numerous reasons why the Tesla Model S achieved a near-perfect score, and is—in their own words—”a truly remarkable car.”

Firstly, Consumer Reports stresses that the car achieves good balance, despite boasting an 85 kWh lithium-ion battery pack under its floor. The magazine also describes the vehicle’s handling as “excellent” and as achieving the perfect balance between driving like a luxury car and a sports car.

“It accelerates, handles and brakes like a sports car. It has the ride and quietness of a luxury car and is far more energy-efficient than the best hybrid cars,” said Jake Fisher, the director of Automotive Testing for Consumer Reports, in a statement.

The Tesla Model S, which boasts the greatest range of any pure electric car on the market, received a record-high score of 99/100 on the Consumer Reports automobile test ratings this May. Credit: Tesla Motors.

The Model S also happens to boast the greatest range of any pure electric car on the market, with an EPA-certified range of up to 265 miles on a single charge. In the Consumer Reports’ test, the vehicle achieved a range of about 200 miles, which is double the range of a Coda all-electric sedan. In addition, the fuel economy of the Model S is rated at 89 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe).

The Model S is spacious, with room to seat up to seven passengers if the vehicle owner wishes to add an optional third row. The car also features generous cargo space in both the front of the car (where an internal combustion engine would typically be), and in the trunk of the car.

Consumer Reports describes the interior of the vehicle as luxurious, with a 17-inch touch screen installed on the center of the dashboard to control everything from regenerative braking to opening the vehicle’s sunroof.

In fact, Consumer Reports’ only reservations about the Model S center on the fact that it cannot necessarily drive long distances across the country. While Tesla Motors has mitigated this concern by installing a network of Supercharging stations from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, up and down California, and between Boston and Washington DC, it is true that the network does not extend across the Midwest.

The Model S also takes about 12 hours to fully charge using a standard 240-volt electric car charger, and even if a customer purchased Tesla Motors’ optional High Power Wall Connector—at $1,200—the charge could take up to 5 hours to complete.

Overall, however, Consumer Reports’ description of the Tesla Model S is nothing short of glowing.

International Biomass Conference & Expo Features Tours of Biomass Facilities

Mon, 06 May 2013 16:20:00 EST

This year’s International Biomass Conference & Expo (IBCE) tours of local biomass facilities, as well as several days’ worth of conference panel discussions, seminars, and exhibitions. The conference took place on April 8-10 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and drew over 40 participants. These participants were able to enjoy tours of Koda Energy, LLC and Great River Energy on the conference’s opening day.

Koda Energy, LLC was the first stop on the IBCE’s biomass facilities tour. Koda Energy, LLC is a combined heat and power plant facility. The facility burns agricultural byproducts and raw materials, such as biosolids, dry grasses, and wood chips, in order to create steam. The steam is then used to generate electric and thermal energy.

Stacy Cook, vice president of operations at Koda Energy, LLC, led the tour. The tour began at the facility’s shipping building. Tour attendees were introduced to some basic facts about the company, including how many loads of biomass material Koda Energy receives daily (24), where the facility’s fuel originates, and how much biomass fuel the facility consumes each day (500 tons).

Tour attendees also visited Koda Energy’s storage silos, milling area, boiler facility, and generator housing unit. Attendees were able to view the entire biomass-to-energy conversion process. The process consists of grinding feedstock into a fine dust, burning it inside one of the facility’s six boilers, generating steam, and powering the facility’s turbine rotor in the generator housing unit, which simultaneously heats kilns for the production of malted barley and preheats the facility’s feedwater.

Pictured above is Koda Energy, LLC, a combined heat and power plant facility located in Shakopee, Minnesota. On average, the plant generates 12.5 megawatts of electric power. Credit: Koda Energy, LLC.

Next on the IBCE tour schedule was Great River Energy. Their Elk River Energy Recovery Station converts mixed municipal waste into refuse derived fuel (RDF). The station burns RDF in order to generate the steam that powers the plant’s generators.

Tour attendees were able to learn about the energy recovery station’s conservation process by listening to the company’s experts and viewing the different steps that the company follows to create energy from biomass.

The company’s process begins after local garbage haulers weigh in at the facility and then drive on to the plant’s tipping floor, where the waste is dumped. Crane operators sort through the waste to remove materials that are not able to be processed easily, such as pieces of cars, axles, and mattresses. This waste is separated from the rest of the garbage, shredded (after valuable metals have been removed), and then is sent to a flail mill. At the flail mill, the garbage is ground into smaller pieces by 150-pound hammers, aluminum and other ferrous metals are recovered, and non-combustible items like glass are removed. The remaining material is then transported to a power plant, where it is burned in one of the facility’s three boilers to steam. The steam, in turn, powers the plant’s generators.

In addition to touring Koda Energy, LLC and the Elk River Energy Recovery Station, conference attendees were also able to tour two other biomass facilities—the District Energy, St. Paul biomass plant and Target Field, home of the Minnesota Twins—the day after the conference officially ended. Through the combustion of 280,000 tons of wood residue each year the CHP plant provides reliable, cost-effective heating to the commercial, residential and industrial buildings in downtown St. Paul and adjacent areas and 25 MW of electricity to the local grid. Target Field achieved Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) program, and it is the highest-ranked LEED-certified ballpark in the majors. Target Field also leads the way in transit, water use, and recycling. Tour attendees learned Target Field meets the many environmental challenges of a sports facility all while enjoying the ambiance of a building that sees roughly three million people pass through its doors.

James B. Dudley High School Featured in Shell Eco-Marathon Video

Mon, 06 May 2013 16:19:50 EST

National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium (NAFTC) Associate Training Center, James B. Dudley High School, from Greensboro, NC, was featured in a three part documentary produced by Shell. The film series follows three teams as they prepare for and compete in the Shell Eco-Marathon, a competition which challenges student teams from around the world to design, build and test ultra energy-efficient vehicles. With annual events first in the Americas, then in Europe and Asia, the winners are the teams that go the furthest using the least amount of energy. More than 100 teams competed on the streets of downtown Houston in Shell Eco-Marathon Americas from April 5 through 7.

Members of the James B. Dudley High School Shell Eco-Marathon Team show one of their competition vehicles in The Road to Houston: Episode 1. Credit: Shell 2013.

The James B. Dudley High School team competed in the Urban Concept and Prototype divisions. Urban Concept cars must meet a series of roadworthiness criteria found in modern passenger vehicles (such as having four wheels, a steering wheel, head and tail lights, a brake pedal, doors, etc.). Prototype vehicles are streamlined vehicles in which the primary design consideration is reducing drag and maximizing efficiency.

James B. Dudley High School’s team built both their vehicles out of recycled materials. In one car, the driver sits in an old classroom seat, and a pram cover serves as an easy-to-open roof, while the car body contains a vacuum cleaner hose and spare bicycle parts. “Last year, one Eco-Marathon team spent $150,000 on their vehicle,” said automotive instructor and team leader, Ricky Lewis. “We’ve spent $150!”

The documentary follows James B. Dudley High School, along with two other teams, as they prepare for and compete in the Eco-Marathon. Along the way all of the teams face obstacles. “They’re learning co-operation, confidence and how to get the most out of what extremely limited resources they have,” said Lewis.

The team finished 20th in the Prototype division and 6th in the Urban Concept division, and completed the required ten laps for the first time. Ricky Lewis sums up their experiences, “They are all winners in my book just by doing their best. That is enough for me!

Peugeot Launches First Vehicle to Run on Compressed Air

Mon, 06 May 2013 15:50:00 EST

This March at the Geneva Auto Show, the French automobile manufacturer PSA Peugeot Citroën launched an innovative new vehicle that runs on compressed nitrogen and hydraulic fluid, the Hybrid Air. Although the Hybrid Air is not the first hydraulic hybrid to be invented, it is the first to use compressed nitrogen in liquid form as an energy source.

The nitrogen is stored in a pressurized steel tank that is called an “accumulator.” The four-foot-long accumulator runs down the center of the vehicle’s undercarriage and can hold up to 20 liters (5.3 gallons) of nitrogen. Energy is created when the stored nitrogen is compressed or decompressed. The hydraulic components harness this energy and use it to turn the vehicle’s wheels, creating thrust. Thrust is the force that causes a vehicle to move forward.

Shown above is a cutaway model of Peugeot’s Hybrid Air. Note the aqua-blue air storage container—the accumulator—which compresses and decompresses nitrogen to create the energy necessary to run the vehicle. Credit: PSA Peugeot Citroën.

Hybrid Air combines the accumulator with a three-cylinder petrol engine, a hydraulic pump/motor unit, and automatic transmission.

The vehicle is capable of operating in three different modes: gasoline power, combined power, and Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mode. In gasoline power, Hybrid Air’s petrol engine runs solo. In combined power, both the petrol engine and the accumulator work together to power the vehicle. According to Peugeot, this mode is optimal for high power acceleration and hill climbing. Finally, in ZEV mode, Hybrid Air emits zero-emissions and accumulates power from brake energy regeneration. The automobile manufacturer claims that the vehicle can operate in air power mode for 60% to 80% of city driving cases.

The Hybrid Air project began in 2010. Nearly 200 Peugeot employees contributed to the project, which was completed in secrecy. Four generations of prototypes were created before the final version, the Hybrid Air, was revealed at the Geneva Auto Show in March of this year.

The Hybrid Air will be in production by 2016, and will start at 17,000 Euros (approximately 21,850 US dollars).

Pictured above is a side view of the Hybrid Air, which will be in production by 2016. Credit: PSA Peugeot Citroën.

General Services Administration to Expand Hybrids in Federal Fleet by Up to 10,000 Vehicles

Mon, 06 May 2013 15:35:00 EST

On Monday, April 22, the U.S. General Services Administration’s acting administrator, Dan Tangherlini, announced a new fleet consolidation initiative to grant federal agencies the opportunity to replace their aging fleet with hybrid vehicles. As part of the initiative, the GSA plans to expand their fleet by up to 10,000 hybrid vehicles. According the MSN Autos, the initiative will include the Chevrolet Malibu Eco, Ford C-Max, Ford Fusion Hybrid, and Hyundai Sonata Hybrid.

Through the initiative, U.S. agencies that utilize the GSA’s fleet services will have the opportunity to lease these new hybrid vehicles at the same cost as a comparable non-hybrid vehicle.

Currently, the GSA fleet includes approximately 200,000 cars and trucks, with hybrids comprising roughly 5.3% of this number. The GSA currently operates 10,672 hybrids. The majority of these vehicles were purchased last year.

Through the GSA’s new initiative, U.S. agencies will be given the opportunity to lease hybrid vehicles (like the Chevrolet Malibu Eco pictured above) at the same cost as a comparable non-hybrid vehicle. Credit: NAFTC.

The GSA claims that the program will help reduce approximately 1,000,000 gallons of fuel per year over the life of these vehicles.

“Providing a hybrid federal fleet is an essential part of GSA’s commitment to making government agencies as efficient and effective as possible,” said GSA Acting Administrator Dan Tangherlini, commenting on the initiative. “At a time when government needs to make every tax dollar count, GSA is committed to creating more energy efficiency and cost-saving opportunities like the fleet consolidation program that make government smarter and reduce our environmental footprint.”

The first U.S. agency to participate in the program will be the U.S. Department of the Interior. The department will replace up to 300 of its gasoline and alternative fuel vehicles with hybrids.

FedEx Express Announces New All-Electric Vehicle Fleet in Hong Kong

Mon, 06 May 2013 15:35:00 EST

On March 26, FedEx Express, a division of Federal Express, announced plans to expand its global alternative fuel vehicle fleet—which now includes more than 650 alternative fuel delivery vehicles—by launching a new all-electric vehicle fleet in Hong Kong, China. The fleet, which will consist of 10 all-electric commercial vehicles, will be FedEx Express’s first zero-emissions all-electric fleet to be deployed in Asia Pacific.

Alternative fuel vehicles, like the ones that will comprise the all-electric fleet in Hong Kong, have helped FedEx Express to surpass the goal they set in 2008 to increase the fuel efficiency of its vehicle fleet by 20% in 12 years. The company has also increased its original fuel efficiency goal by 50%, now setting a target for 30% improvement in fuel efficiency for its global vehicle fleet by the original 2020 target date.

“This is a milestone for FedEx Express in Asia Pacific. The deployment of the new zero emission all-electric vehicles demonstrates the FedEx Express commitment to delivering industry-leading innovation, while reducing our environmental impact. We are proud to build a more sustainable operation in the long-term through fuel efficiency and reduced emissions, and provide our customers with unparalleled connectivity and services. These electric trucks are not only aimed at improving FedEx Express fleet efficiency in Asia Pacific, but also promoting the development of all-electric trucks among all vehicle users for a more sustainable future,” said David L. Cunningham Jr., president of FedEx Express Asia Pacific.

Ten all-electric FedEx Express delivery vans, like the ones pictured above, will be deployed in Hong Kong, China to help lower fuel emissions. Credit: FedEx Express Corporation.

FedEx Express currently has more than 650 alternative fuel vehicles in its global vehicle fleet and will have approximately 200 all-electric vehicles by the end of the fiscal year 2013. In Asia Pacific, FedEx Express has two hybrid vehicles in Hong Kong already in operation since 2010.

The managing director at Hong Kong and Macau, Anthony Leung, commented on why all-electric vehicles are a perfect fit for the region.

“There are many rolling hills in Hong Kong where we deliver and collect packages, but this vehicle can recharge its own battery when going downhill. So the electric vehicle is perfect for the Hong Kong market,” said Leung. “Each of our vehicles is on the road on average around 8-9 hours per day at speeds below 100 kilometers per hour. That’s why this vehicle is ideal.”

ECOtality Announces Plans to Install Electric Charging Stations at Kroger Stores

Mon, 06 May 2013 15:35:00 EST

ECOtality, Inc., a San Francisco-based electric transportation and storage technologies company, has recently announced plans to install over 225 new electric charging stations at select Kroger Co. stores. A majority of the new installations will be level 2 (quick charge) electric charging stations, while the remaining 25 installations will be DC Fast Chargers.

Kroger Co. already operates 74 electric charging stations in the states of Oregon and Washington—60 in Oregon and 14 in Washington. The new installation plans will bring that number just fewer than 300.

“As plug-in electric and hybrid cars are becoming more popular with our customers, we are pleased to offer the convenience of electric vehicle charging stations at more of our stores in markets with the highest demand,” said Keith Dailey, Kroger spokesperson. “Kroger is excited to contribute to the growth of this national network.”

The new electric charging stations will be mainly located in the western United States, including Kroger stores in the Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Diego areas.

An electric vehicle owner activates her card at an ECOtality electric charging station. The company will install over 225 new charging stations at select Kroger stores in the Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Diego areas. Credit: ECOtality.

According to Bloomberg Businessweek, this focus on the western United States is part of ECOtality’s marketing strategy, since the west holds the majority of the market for electric vehicle sales.

The electric charging stations, which ECOtality refers to as “Blink chargers,” will cost Kroger approximately $1.5 million to install. However, the company has found that electric car owners spend significantly more time inside their grocery stores than conventional vehicle owners do.

ECOtality CEO Ravi Brar emphasized this point in a recent press release statement.

“Retailers across the country are quickly realizing the benefits of installing our Blink chargers. Independent research shows that Blink card holders routinely reward those establishments with more time in their stores and repeat business,” stated Brar. “Kroger not only recognizes this value, but continues to show its commitment to be a leader in sustainability for the food retail industry. We are thrilled that the nation’s largest supermarket chain, Kroger, chose to expand its EV charging station roll-out with Blink.”