The deployment is part of a nationwide data collection effort called “The EV Project”, an initiative intended to help guide the implementation of future EV infrastructure.
ECOtality will install Blink charging stations at over ten Wal-mart locations for The EV Project. Most sites will have two Blink Pedestal chargers available for EV use, with the exception of one site in Oregon which will install a Blink DC Fast Charger.
The Walmart locations were selected based on the ECOtality ‘s trademarked EV Micro-Climate process, which the company says takes into account traffic patterns, regional attractions, transportation hubs, guidance from Wal-mart and input from regional partners.
EV drivers will be able to charge at any Blink station through a variety of options including interoperable RFID cards, smartphone applications, and mobile phone and credit card-based payment options.
ECOtality is the project manager of The EV Project and is overseeing the installation of approximately 14,000 commercial and residential charging stations in 18 major cities and metropolitan areas in six states and the District of Columbia.
The project is a public-private partnership, funded in part by the U.S. Department of Energy through a federal stimulus grant made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
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