Energy Department charges Nissan, others

A rendering of an eTec fast-charge station.

The Department of Energy on Wednesday awarded a $99.8 million grant to Phoenix-based Electric Transportation Engineering Corporation (eTec). Part of the grant is slated to go toward the installation of 2,250 charging systems for electric vehicles in the Seattle area, and about 10,000 more in other metropolitan areas across the country including San Diego, Portland, Eugene, Ore., Salem, Ore., Corvallis, Ore., Seattle and in Tennessee and Arizona.

Phoenix-based eTec is partnering with Nissan, which on Aug. 2 introduced its electric vehicle, the LEAF, to roll out the charging stations. Nissan says it plans to pilot its EVs in the same five markets where eTec is installing charging stations and is providing part of the matching funds toward the DOE grant. At least 1,000 LEAFs will be available in Seattle, according to Alex Fryer, a spokesman for Mayor Greg Nickels.

In Seattle, eTec expects to install charging stations—which will work with any EV that uses an industry-standard connection—in the homes of EV owners at no cost and in office buildings and other public areas. eTec will also install 50 “fast-charge” systems around Seattle which can deliver a “meaningful charge” in about 15 minutes, according to Colin Read, vice president of corporate development for Ecotality, eTec’s parent company. Each charging station could cost between $1,500 and $2,500 to install, according to Fryer.

In Portland, eTec is partnering with Portland General Electric (NYSE: POR), and plans to install 2,500 charging stations in homes and businesses, as well as rapid charging systems in high-traffic areas. Up to 1,000 LEAFs are also expected to hit Oregon Nissan dealerships by Fall 2010, according to PGE.

eTec has been working with EVs and other advanced vehciles since 1989 and has been involved in every distribution of EVs in North America since 1989, Read says. Part of the goal of this project is to collect data in a variety of different operating environments and conditions. In Seattle, where the installations will be in the territories of different utilities, a key data question to answer is how to track and charge users for electricity usage across systems. eTec is planning to use different technologies to do this, depending on what the regional government and utilities want to try, Read says.

The federal funds were part of a $2.4 billion program from the U.S. Department of Energy intended to accelerate manufacturing and deployment of electric vehicles and components. About 50 recipients were awarded money through the program, including Oregon-based Cascade Sierra Solutions, which aims to reduce emissions from heavy-duty trucks.