Coulomb Technologies Releases OpenCharge Protocol and ChargePoint On-Ramp Program

CAMPBELL, CA--July 14, 2011 Coulomb Technologies today published its open protocol for communicating with Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE). The OpenCharge Protocol is a proposed communication standard for charging station networks that defines the communications between a charging network and the charging station. The protocol definition supports applications that include billing, asset management, real-time mapping, EVSE reservations, fleet management, and energy management. The OpenCharge Protocol defines a suite of XML messages and interactions, simplifying the design, development and implementation of network-based EVSE with rich functionality. Coulomb is also offering the OpenCharge Protocol as an international standard for EVSE-to-charging network communication.

“Our needs and those of our customers will be best served if EVSEs have a standardized interface to the EV charging network.”

“The EV industry has made great strides by implementing vehicle-to-EVSE standards such as the SAE J1772 Level II connector standard, which ensures drivers can easily plug in their new electric vehicle into any new charging station,” said Richard Lowenthal, Chief Technical Officer of Coulomb Technologies. “Now the industry needs an EVSE-to-network communication standard to ensure that all EVSEs can interoperate with the charging network.”

“As an EVSE manufacturer, we recognize that customers need to have a choice of EV charging station hardware,” said Michael Mattei, vice president and general manager Leviton Manufacturing. “Our needs and those of our customers will be best served if EVSEs have a standardized interface to the EV charging network.”

The ChargePoint On-Ramp Program

Coulomb today also announced it is offering the ChargePoint® On-Ramp Program, which is available for all EVSE manufacturers. As a ChargePoint On-Ramp Program partner, a manufacturer receives software that enables their EVSEs to communicate with the ChargePoint Network, as well as documentation, reference designs, training, technical support and ChargePoint interoperability certification. The ChargePoint On-Ramp Program simplifies EVSE integration with the ChargePoint Network, accelerates time-to-market, and minimizes development costs. A demonstration will be shown at the Plug-In 2011 conference and exhibition in the Coulomb Technologies booth #121, July 18 -- 20 in Raleigh, NC.

The ChargePoint Network has been deployed for three years, and connects thousands of stations owned by more than 700 customers across North America, Europe and Australia. Utilities, service providers, corporations, fleets and other station owners use the ChargePoint Network for mission critical EV charging requirements such as access control, user authentication, billing, reporting, network management and grid load management. EV drivers benefit from ChargePoint mobile apps, mapping services and driver support services every day. The ChargePoint On-Ramp Program allows EVSE manufacturers to take advantage of the ChargePoint Network’s comprehensive service plans, and have access to ChargePoint’s large base of drivers.

“The ChargePoint Network was created as an open, standards-based network, accessible to all EVSE manufacturers, drivers and vehicles,” said Bret Sewell, Executive Vice President at Coulomb. “ChargePoint also supports open Web Services API interfaces to third-party billing, mapping, demand response and building energy management applications. Our new ChargePoint On-Ramp Program is a response to the many EVSE manufacturers who would like to connect their EVSE to the ChargePoint Network. Now, station owners will have a wide choice of EVSE products, with the confidence that whatever they choose will operate with their ChargePoint service plans. This will allow customers to use multiple hardware suppliers in an integrated charging network.”

The ChargePoint On-Ramp Program includes:

• Royalty-free software license for embedded EVSE software that implements the OpenCharge protocol which enables complete ChargePoint Network communication and services functionality that include:
  • Station access control, driver authentication and billing functions
  • Asset management functions including remote monitoring, remote diagnostics, and over the air downloads
  • Energy management functions including grid load management, demand response and time-of-use pricing support
  • Full software documentation
  • A communications hardware reference design
  • Access to a development and testing network “sandbox” to validate their products
  • Engineering services to support ChargePoint On-Ramp Program partner EVSE software implementation and testing

About Coulomb Technologies, Inc.

Coulomb Technologies, the leading electric vehicle charging solutions company, provides the two key components for success with electric vehicle charging services: ChargePoint Network, the largest online network connecting electric vehicle drivers to charging stations and handling all billing and driver support; and the ChargePoint service plans, web-based solutions that give organizations the control and flexibility they need to provide lasting and successful charging services. Coulomb’s ChargePoint Network industry partners include Leviton, Siemens and Aker Wade. Coulomb Technologies customers include large employers such as Google and SAP; utilities such and Orlando Utilities Commission and Austin Energy; municipalities such as City of San Francisco and City of New York; large shopping centers such as South Coast Plaza, Fashion Island and Bellevue Square; and parking services providers such as Edison Properties, Priority Parking and InterPark. Operating in 14 countries, Coulomb's ChargePoint Network is currently charging more than 26,000 vehicles per month, dispensing more than 80 Megawatt hours (MWh) of energy each month, and doubling the energy dispensed each quarter.