Arranging for charging station installation will initially be part of the buying process for your first electric vehicle (EV). All manufacturer-approved chargers will meet SAE J1772 standards for electric vehicles and electrical connectors.

You will not be able to buy the car unless you are willing to install a charging station in your home. Consumers purchasing the Nissan Leaf will be required to use their exclusive contractor, AeroVironment, for the installation of home chargers. They may be able to install their own charging equipment if they sign a waiver.

The Chevy Volt will come standard with a 110-volt charger that will allow you to charge directly from your home outlet. For Volt customers who prefer to have a 240V fast charger installed, SPX Service Solutions is the exclusive contractor for your fast charging station installation.

There is a huge difference in the range of vehicles due to the size of their battery packs. Chevrolet considers the Volt a plug-in hybrid vehicle. GM describes the car as an extended-range EV (electric vehicle) with a smaller battery. The LEAF is strictly electric with a much larger battery pack that is 2-3 times the size of the volt. Chevy Volts 16kwh battery will probably only use 8 kw. The Leaf will pack a 24KWh battery, but you’ll probably need to use 80-90% to get longer battery life. To fully charge the LEAF, it will need to be plugged into a 110v outlet all day. The cost to install a Tier II home charging unit is expected to be around $2,200.

With the Nissan LEAF and Chevy Volt expected to be the first cars to require the installation of a Level 2 home charger until 2012, demand for home charging units is expected to remain low, barring a surprising number of first time owners choose to have fast chargers professionally installed.

There are now a number of companies entering the charging station market. AeroVironment was the first company to engage in the development and construction of Tier II domestic charging units. The reason they won the contract from Nissan was probably because they were the first to offer a product. Most of the other companies that are developing and building charging stations have focused on industrial units for commercial and municipal facilities. However, that is changing as the first mass-market electric vehicles are finally ready for launch.

Below are the companies that currently manufacture Charging Stations for Electric Vehicles

ECOtality – ETec

Now called ECOtality North America, ECOtality has been producing electric charging stations for quite some time. Industrial equipment, such as forklifts, have used electric charging technology for some time. They have used their experience to market the Minit-Charger for residential and commercial charging applications. The EV Project, which is managed by ECOtalty, seeks to install thousands of charging stations over the next year in the 5 states where EVs will be launched for the first time. ECOtality also installs stations from other manufacturers. ECOtality makes Level I and Level II chargers, but does not make DC fast charging equipment. ECOtality has recently introduced a new line of Tier II home and commercial charging stations. The new stations, designed by global industrial design firm, frog design, are believed to help update its conservative image.

SPX

SPX has been selected by Chevrolet to be the exclusive service provider for the purchase and installation of the Chevy Volt 240 volt home rapid charger. SPX will facilitate all aspects of purchasing and installing fast chargers that will charge the Volt in approximately 4 hours. The SPX team will advise homeowners on the requirements for upgrading their electric service to accommodate the home’s charging system and even help them take the necessary steps to qualify for reduced electric rates.

Aeroenvironment

AeroVironment was chosen to be the exclusive home charging installation contractor for the Nissan LEAF. Although AeroVironment is primarily known for its residential installations, it is one of the few companies that sells Fast Charge and Level II DC chargers for commercial use. AeroVironment is a well established company that has developed drones for the military for many years. The company was responsible for the charger for the Impact, the precursor to the GM EV1 built in the 1990s. They also developed the charging stations for the EV1, so it’s only natural that they make the newer versions of the charging stations.

Coulomb Technologies

Coulomb technologies is one of the best known electric vehicle charging manufacturers. Coulomb is rapidly building out its network of member charging points, which will allow its members to stop at any of its stations and start charging immediately. Currently, most of the 300 stations they have installed are Level I, however they have now started installing Level II chargers as well.

clipper creek

Clipper Creek, a lesser-known company, has been selling chargers for decades. Their equipment design is not as modern and sleek as some of the newer styles. Its chargers are more oriented to the installation of fleets than to homes or companies. Clipper Creek has made it known that their products can be installed anywhere. They run the home charging facilities for the Tesla Roadster. These charging stations are designed for Level II charging only and come in a variety of configurations to meet your customers’ needs.

General Energy

The newest entrant to the EV charging station market is GE. They have just introduced their new Watt Station charger. The first version is primarily intended for commercial installations, but there are plans to introduce a residential version later this year. The Watt Station is known for its attractive design. Legendary designer Yves Behar is the mastermind behind Watt Station’s elegant style. It is also the first model to incorporate smart Wi-Fi technology.

PEP stations

A little-known company called PEP has started working with Ford to build rugged, rugged charging stations that can handle some rough use. These units are architecturally designed with a concrete base and stainless steel top. These units are primarily marketed for commercial and municipal installations. This obscure company has no track record, so its quality remains to be seen. The designers used high quality automotive grade components, so they are built to be robust.

Best place

Better Place is known for its drum-changing techniques. Now they have started the installation of vehicle charging stations in Israel and Denmark. So far they have no plans to sell their units for residential use. We mention them here because they may change your strategy to offer residential charging options.

leviton

Leviton is a huge and well-known electrical supply company. They are an established company with a large number of service technicians. Leviton includes a 10-year warranty on its “Evr-green” home and commercial charging stations. Leviton Evr-Green charging stations can support Tier I and Tier II charging and will integrate with Point of Charge charging stations. Leviton has also introduced a standard installation method that is the industry’s first pre-wired plug system for its Level II chargers. This system will allow consumers to have their homes “plug-in-ready” before purchasing any electric cars. This pre-wired system starts at less than $200, not including installation, and is designed to reduce installation costs and shorten installation times. The pre-wired kits must be installed by a Leviton-certified installer, but once the system has been installed, the consumer can easily add the Level II charging station.

Currently, these are the major players in the electric car charging market. Only time will tell who will emerge as the market leader and what other new players will join the fray. If you’ve heard of other players making electric car charging stations, please let me know so I can put them on this list.