Congressman Steny Hoyer Visited SemaConnect

Here are some photos from when our entire team at SemaConnect welcomed Congressman Steny Hoyer to our headquarters in Bowie, MD!  Congressman Hoyer went on a walking tour of our facility learning about charging stations, meeting our entire staff and enjoying lunch before leaving.

A Visit to Tesla...

As a follow up to the previous article I wrote, Amber’s EV 101, this post covered what I used to think about plug-in vehicles, as well as what impressed me about the Tesla Model S. I was inspired to visit a showroom near me, to see one up close.

The Tesla showroom, is located on K Street in Washington, DC. Upon walking in, I felt the energy and excitement generating from the Tesla enthusiasts that work here. I was greeted by the sales reps, who seemed eager to educate anyone who walked through the door.

After I asked the sales rep, Marco, my questions, we took the elevator down to the parking garage, where they had a few different Model S cars. These are the cars that they take people for test drives and also use at Tesla shows/events.

When we were out on the road he told me to “Hold on, so I could feel the power of the acceleration.” There was one quote from the Tesla website, “The crazy speed builds silently and then pulls back the edges of your face. It had all of us endangering our licenses.”

The Tesla motor has only one moving piece, the rotor. As a result, Model S acceleration is instantaneous. When we were out on the road he told me to “Hold on, so I could feel the power of the acceleration.” In 5.4 seconds, the Model S is traveling 60 miles per hour.

The features give this car a very futuristic feel. I went to open the door, to find that instead of regular handles, these retract in when not in use or slide out, when the driver approaches with the key or with a simple touch. There is the option of an all glass panoramic roof. The entire roof is constructed from lightweight safety glass, with a swipe from the 17” touch screen it opens wider than any other sedan’s panoramic roof. It has the ability to save up to 20 profiles with seat, mirror and steering wheel settings, which come standard with this car.

When you click on your own profile, your phone contacts automatically show up, music, Bluetooth, navigation, internet, camera, etc. Added features are available and only a software upgrade away.

When the test drive was over, we got back to the showroom, I sat in the driver’s seat of the display vehicle and started pushing buttons to see what everything did. The sales reps thought it was funny, because I kept asking what all the buttons did and they told me to just push whatever I wanted.

 I noticed while I was there, that people walking by were always staring in the windows. Marco said, “Working there was like being in a fish bowl because people are always walking by and looking in.”

They say the Model S, is a driver’s car and you can truly customize it your way. The whole process of designing your vehicle is very interactive. There is a design studio, where you can customize your own features. You can match up the color of the car with the interior, etc. They had a computer that would show you the custom features you chose.

I pulled a quote from the Tesla website, that I think does a good job of summing up what this car represents, “Model S is a remarkably important car. This car shows that it can be done and it will be done.” 

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Amber Perry is a Marketing Specialist at SemaConnect. She graduated with a B.A. in Communication Studies from Towson University. Amber handles the SemaConnect blog, supports Public Relations efforts and helps build the overall brand. As a new EV convert, Amber reports with a truly fresh perspective. Learn and grow with her! She can be reached at amber.perry@semaconnect.com.

Recargo Inc. and SemaConnect Inc. Introduce Open System for Public EV Charging “Pay With PlugShare” Launches on the World’s Largest EV Charging Station Network

VENICE, CA and BETHESDA, MD– October 1, 2013– Recargo Inc., electric vehicle software and information services company has partnered with SemaConnect, a national leader in electric vehicle charging stations to launch a new public charger payment solution. “Pay With PlugShare” has been engineered to be the easiest and most universal public charging system currently available, and will operate seamlessly under PlugShare, the most widely used app to find a place to charge and now to pay for your charge. Pay With Plugshare will be available at more than 300 SemaConnect charging stations in the United States and Canada.

Both companies want drivers to be able to plug in at public stations with efficiency and ease. Pay With PlugShare solves the current dilemma of proprietary payment, extra fees, and members-­‐only charging. The service combines finding the best place to charge for every driver’s unique plug-­‐in needs, while accessing the world’s largest charging network, with a payment solution built into the same app. Since the payment method only needs a smartphone and doesn’t require membership costs and prepaid subscriptions, and RFID tokens or phone calls, this process is more reliable and cost effective for drivers to charge.

“We heard from drivers and charging networks who want to make paying for charging as easy as we've made finding a place to charge. We thought if it’s possible to pay for a parking meter with a credit card, why not the same for a charging station?” said Brian Kariger, CEO of Recargo Inc. “We are pleased to launch Pay With PlugShare with SemaConnect and finally give drivers a simple solution to charging payment. Ultimately, we want the industry to thrive and our service to encourage EV adoption by providing the smoothest plug-­‐in experience for all.”

Pay With PlugShare was designed to easily integrate with any charging network so the driver experience is always easy and fast. The platform is currently available with iOS and will soon be available with Android this winter. Visa, MasterCard, and Discover are all accepted; credit card and customer data is stored securely.

“Our focus has been on building sophisticated charging stations that are simple to use and incredibly reliable with the best user interface possible, so partnering with PlugShare was a natural fit,” said Mahi Reddy, CEO and Founder of SemaConnect. “We want to define a higher standard for the charging experience based on quality, not quantity, for all electric vehicle drivers.”

As the highest reviewed, most downloaded and most used app serving over 60% of EV drivers, PlugShare aims to satisfy the plug-­‐in community’s needs. Additional PlugShare features include:

•       Browse, search, and filter the world’s largest database of charging stations

•       Check-­‐in, review, add tips and photos about charging location experience

•       Contact PlugShare members via app, phone or SMS to coordinate charging

•       Share electricity from home EV plug or domestic outlet with other EV owners

•       Plan trips and get directions to outlets or charging stations via Google Maps™

•       Share charging station links using Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter

•       Get notifications when a new charging station is installed nearby

•       Stations display a PlugScore rating to show drivers which locations the driver will likely have the best experience.

The Pay With PlugShare platform has been designed to be charging network neutral and scalable from the ground up. Networks providing fee based public charging can add Pay With PlugShare functionality easily while maintaining direct control over pricing and their infrastructure. To match the needs of different networks -­‐ Pay With PlugShare can be linked with their existing payment infrastructure or can leverage PlugShare’s e-­‐commerce infrastructure. Additionally, Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) Support will be rolled out before the end of 2013 allowing Networks that have invested in OCPP to leverage their existing technology. “SemaConnect has been an ideal launch partner for Recargo. Working together we were able to integrate Pay With PlugShare into SemaConnect’s exisiting APIs in a matter of weeks not months,” said Forrest North, Recargo COO.

Recargo and SemaConnect are dedicated to moving the EV industry forward and supporting the needs of drivers by providing the most convenient public charging experience. Enabling Pay With PlugShare equips EV drivers with the necessary tools to find and access charging easily.

Recargo Inc. is a leading EV software and services company that provides consumer and industry intelligence through social driving tools to support the adoption and growth of plug-­‐in mobility. PlugShare is the company’s flagship product with the world’s largest charging network. The company is based in Venice, CA, with offices in Menlo Park, CA. For more information about Recargo Inc. and the company’s product offerings, visit http://www.recargo.com/ and follow @RecargoNews on Twitter.

SemaConnect, Inc. is a national leader in commercial electric vehicle charging stations that comes bundled with free cloud-­‐based management software to empower stations owners with superior charging management options and electric vehicle drivers with multiple card-­‐less charging options. SemaConnect provides a free mobile application that produces real-­‐time data usage, station navigation and card-­‐less charging sessions. Our sleek and sophisticated charging station has become the top choice in the commercial real estate, hotel, retail and multifamily sectors. Together with Recargo, SemaConnect now provides EV drivers with the largest network of electric vehicle charging station maps on the market. For more information about SemaConnect, visit www.semaconnect.com.

We've Partnered with PlugShare!

We're so excited to announce our Pay with PlugShare option for Electric Vehicle Drivers!  Check out these awesome screen shots from the app!

The Correlation between EV Charging Stations and Tall Buildings: How Developers are Tapping into the 21st Century Landscape

The US Steel Building towers over the city of Pittsburgh at a height of 841 feet (64 stories) off the ground. Not only is it the tallest skyscraper in the city, it features the largest roof in the world at that height, with a size of nearly 1 acre.

However, a closer look beneath the building’s grandiose facade reveals a new addition that is sure to generate some buzz among its more Eco-minded tenants. As of August 20th, a series of EV charging stations have been made available to further green the building and provide a valuable amenity for EV drivers.

And while the US Steel Building might be one of the more poignant examples of the link between EV charging stations and tall buildings, it is certainly not the only one.

Nearly every month new EV charging stations are being built in high density residential apartments, office spaces, and commercial buildings across the US. The purpose of this article will be to examine the relationship between tall buildings and EV charging stations. In particular, I will look at key factors for the construction of EV infrastructure and the correlation between high density buildings and the incidence of EV amenities.

An Examination of Density: Tall Buildings in the 21^st Century Landscape

It is no secret that density is a key element in the construction of the 21^st century urban environment. As the global population rises and increasing numbers of people move to cities, there is a push to expand “vertically”. Not only are many places running out of viable horizontal land to develop, but research has shown that higher density development helps individuals achieve a lower environmental footprint.

In addition, city planning is increasingly encouraging mixed-use developments. While before city planning was often predicated on the segregation of land uses (i.e. one area would be exclusively zoned residential while another area would be zoned commercial), city planning frequently encourages multiple land-uses all over the city. It is now not uncommon to see individual buildings mix commercial space with residential and office space.

The proliferation of high density, mixed-use developments has a positive impact on environmental metrics, especially when it comes to transportation.

Transportation Networks in the Emerging Urban Landscape

Mixed-use, higher density developments help facilitate efficient travel between places of leisure, residence, work, and shopping. More specifically, they allow for a more robust transportation network that connects walking, cycling, public transit, and (increasingly) vehicle sharing programs. It also results in shorter daily travel distances.

Electric vehicles are becoming a key component of the transportation networks of the future. This is because the emerging urban environment is becoming an ideal place to both drive and charge an EV.

Since trips are shorter, EV drivers are less likely to suffer from range anxiety. And since apartments or office buildings are located where individuals spend several hours anyway, an EV driver can fully charge their EV during their stay.

As cities continue to densify and encourage mixed-use development, we are going to see a lot more EVs (and EV charging stations) emerge in the urban environment.

The Logic of Locating an EV Charging Station in Tall Buildings (Part 1): Fulfilling Demand

Many commercial real-estate developers and managers are starting to realize that tapping into the emerging urban landscape is crucial in maintaining competitiveness. This means designing and managing buildings that are sophisticated, sustainable, and attentive to the needs of urban dwellers.

Since tall buildings are designed to attract large numbers of people per day, it is logical that they would install EV charging stations in their parking facilities. EV drivers are a small but growing percentage of all automobile drivers. And right now the one major challenge EV drivers face is locating a good place to charge their car.

By installing EV charging stations in its parking facilities, a tall building can establish itself as a new “node” in the EV network – a node that allows EV users to both park and charge their car for an extended period of time. At the moment these nodes are often few and far between – but that is rapidly changing as commercial real estate developer’s catch on to the growing EV trend.

By investing in the EV market early, the managers/developers of a tall building can establish themselves as leaders in the green transportation revolution. They will be tapping into the growing demand for viable charging locations and solidifying their competitiveness in the future global economy.

The Logic of Locating an EV Charging Station in Tall Buildings (Part 2): Economics and LEED Certification

Extrapolating the economic benefits associated with constructing an EV charging station in a tall building can be difficult due to the number of direct and indirect factors at work.

For one, constructing an EV charging station is relatively inexpensive compared to other green amenities. It doesn't require huge inputs of labor or capital, and it takes up very little room in a parking facility. Although many building managers include complimentary EV charging with the purchase of parking time, others are charging a small fee to help recoup their initial investment (which could one day turn into a profit).

Many EV charging station providers also have easy-to-use software to manage charging time/fees, making the whole management process virtually hands-free.

But perhaps the biggest economic benefits are actually indirect. For managers/developers looking to turn their tall buildings into models for sustainability, constructing EV charging stations is a highly visual, cost-effective way of accomplishing this.

Everyone notices when an EV charging station is prominently located in a parking facility, whether they are an EV driver or not. If they were previously on the fence about buying an EV, knowing that a docking station is located somewhere within their daily commute could encourage them to buy one.

In more concrete terms, an EV charging station can help a building achieve a higher LEED certification. Residential buildings up to four levels and any sized commercial building can receive three LEED points for constructing EV docking stations under the “New Construction Sustainable Sites Credit 4.0”. In addition, qualified buildings can attain three to fifteen LEED points under the “Existing Building Sustainable Sites Credit 4.0”.

LEED certification is a necessity for commercial real estate companies seeking a sustainable, cutting-edge image.

Conclusion

There are many reasons why EV charging stations are popping up in tall buildings all over the country.

Not only are tall buildings uniquely positioned to tap into the growing share of EV drivers on the road due to their density, they are the most visual indication of a company’s corporate image. A company that can establish itself alongside cutting-edge, green technology can improve its corporate image and improve profitability. But it doesn't just improve a company’s corporate image – it also provides a valuable amenity for the growing EV markets.

2013 has been a big year for EVs so far, and commercial real estate developers are taking notice. By installing EV charging stations in tall buildings, both developers and management companies can lead the way in the coming green revolution while improving their triple bottom line.

Joseph Tohill is a freelance writer and online communications specialist for organizations in the sustainability sector. He has a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of British Columbia and spent most of his academic career studying sustainable urban development; namely the interdisciplinary relationship between built form and natural environment.