Google (News 
- Alert) and more than 80 electric vehicle (EV) stakeholders are partnering with the Department of Energy on a new project designed to help consumers power up their EV while on the road.
The collaborative effort, dubbed the GeoEVSE Forum, will help build an online network that offers up-to-date information on the location of EV charging stations and repair shops for automobiles that use alternative fuels. The data will rely on Google Maps technology, but will be managed by the DOE Clean Cities Initiative and National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), according to CNET.
Electric vehicle owners can find charging stations and electric vehicle supply equipment locations by heading to the DOE's online Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center, which mirrors the traditional Google Maps platform. The DOE is allowing the data to be downloaded by third parties, so you can probably expect to see the location information built in to various navigation devices and related software.
The interactive map enables users to filter results based on alternative fuel sources – such as hydrogen or compressed natural gas – or by state. The data center already boasts a list of around 600 charging stations.
"Through this collaboration, key players from the electric vehicle and online mapping industries are coming together to ensure a consistent source of charging station location data that will allow consumers to find every charging station throughout the country," NREL Project Manager Witt Sparks noted in a statement.
The other 80 companies that are contributing to the forum include energy companies like Pacific Gas and Electric Co., GPS device manufacturers such as Tom Tom, and Best Buy (News - Alert), which offers charging stations at some of its retail stores.
In related news, Energy Secretary Steven Chu recently announced that the Obama administration is providing $5 million in new funding for the deployment of more charging stations and related infrastructure. Local governments and private companies can partner to apply for the funding.
Beecher Tuttle is a TMCnet contributor. He has extensive experience writing and editing for print publications and online news websites. He has specialized in a variety of industries, including health care technology, politics and education. To read more of his articles, please visit his columnist page.
Edited by Jennifer Russell
