Campbell, California-based Coulomb Technologies plans to partner with Amsterdam-based TomTom (News - Alert) to enable drivers of electric vehicles to find the next convenient charging station on the road, no matter where they are headed.
In addition to deploying EV charging stations worldwide, Coulomb Technologies offers the ChargePoint Network— an online website that EV drivers can consult to locate the next unoccupied charging stations on their routes.
When TomTom’s navigation technology is combined with ChargePoint station data, drivers will be able to use the GPS on their dashboard to get directions to the closest charging station and reserve a time to use it. In addition, TomTom will provide technical information about the charging station, including power, connector type, availability, and pricing.
The partnership will help to fuel EV adoption by reducing range anxiety, and bringing charging station location, navigation, and reservation services right to a driver’s dashboard.
“We are proud to partner with TomTom, the leader in navigational systems,” said Pat Romano, president and CEO at Coulomb. “This partnership announcement is a milestone for the EV industry. Romano noted that the successful adoption of electric vehicles will depend on the ability of drivers to easily locate charging stations and, more importantly, to ensure that the station is available—especially now, when there are more EVs than stations in many locations.”
“This is the first in-car charging station reservation [platform] of its kind. It shows how the ChargePoint Network open platform enables companies like TomTom to develop new applications for drivers to manage their driving experience from their home, or on the road,” stated Ed Taylor, director of Product Marketing at Coulomb.
For more information, visit the Coulomb website.
Cheryl Kaften is an accomplished communicator who has written for consumer and corporate audiences. She has worked extensively for MasterCard (News - Alert) Worldwide, Philip Morris USA (Altria), and KPMG, and has consulted for Estee Lauder and the Philadelphia Inquirer Newspapers. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.Edited by
Rich Steeves
