Posted on 11/25/2010 10:47:28 PM PST by Jet Jaguar
The electric movement is still well underway, and for companies like NRG Energy, it takes a huge investment to make sure that it sticks around. Teaming up with Walgreens may seem like an unorthodox move to some, but apparently NRG Energy believes that choosing 18 locations across Houston and Harris County in Texas is a safe bet for seeing some return on their investment.
The eVgo Network, from NRG Energy, is one of the first commercial electric-vehicle-charging networks in the United States, and they will initially feature over 100 charging stations throughout the US. The total investment from the company is estimated in the $10 million region. It will initially launch with 18 locations within Houston, and the Harris County region. You’ll be able to find the rapid charging EV stations at Walgreens locations.
The first roll-out will begin in 2011, and each location will feature two different kinds of chargers. The first will be a Level-2 charging station, which will take about four hours to charge an electric vehicle to full capacity. And then there’s the rapid chargers, which should do the job in about 30 minutes. If you’re in the area beginning in 2011, and you’ve been waiting to get a charging station in your area, thanks to NRG Energy, that’s about to come to fruition.
What I am saying is that there will be just as much incentive to maitian these as there was for public telephones. Also, the article states that a qucik charge is expected to take 1/2 hour. Fine. Who shall watch your vehicle for that 1/2 hour while you are in the store? Walgreens likely likes the idea of people being bound to the store for at least half an hour; a good way to ensure that someone stays in the store more than a few minutes.
Yep, 18 should be plenty. After all, Texas is one of the smaller states in the union with not very many people.
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