ECOtality
| Industry | Electric transportation, energy storage, renewable energy |
|---|---|
| Defunct | September 16, 2013 |
| Fate | Filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy; Blink network sold to Car Charging Group; Minit-Charger operations sold to Access Control; Etec Labs acquired by Intertek |
| Successor | Car Charging Group (Blink network) |
| Headquarters | San Francisco , United States |
Area served | International |
| Products | Electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), Minit-Charger battery systems, solar products, hydrogen and fuel cell technologies |
ECOtality, Inc., based in San Francisco, California, was a firm dedicated to electric transportation and energy storage solutions. It operated internationally through its subsidiaries, which included ECOtality North America, Innergy Power Corporation, Fuel Cell Store, and ECOtality Australia Pty Ltd.
The enterprise concentrated on electric vehicle infrastructure by supplying products and services for grid-connected vehicles such as plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and battery electric vehicles, along with electric ground support equipment used in material handling and airports. Its main operating branch, Electric Transportation Engineering Corporation (eTec), manufactured the Minit-Charger series of advanced fast-charging battery systems designed for various motive power applications. Besides its focus on electric transportation, ECOtality also developed and marketed specialized solar products, sophisticated battery systems, as well as hydrogen and fuel cell technologies through its subsidiaries eTec, Innergy Power Corporation, and ECOtality Stores (Fuel Cell Store).
On September 16, 2013, ECOtality sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Following this, in October 2013, Car Charging Group, Inc. purchased the Blink network of charging stations from ECOtality for $3.3 million. However, this acquisition did not include the Minit-Charger division or Etec Labs; Access Control acquired Minit-Charger’s commercial quick-charge system operations, while Intertek took over Etec Labs’ vehicle testing services.
EV Project
ECOtality North America (previously eTec), a fully owned subsidiary of ECOtality, was awarded $99.9 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 through the United States Department of Energy to support The EV Project. Initiated in October 2009, this program aims to analyze electric vehicle driver behavior alongside the deployment of charging infrastructure.
Charging stations
Under the Blink brand, ECOtality offers electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), including Level 2 AC Wall Mount chargers, Level 2 AC Pedestal chargers, and Level 2 DC Fast Chargers. The Blink Network connects these charging units with a mobile application and website platform that grants users access to charging data, station locations, and account management features.
Partnerships
ECOtality collaborated with various retail hosts to install Blink chargers, many as part of The EV Project. Notable partners included Idaho National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, IKEA USA, Fred Meyer, Arco/BP, Macy's, Cracker Barrel, and San Diego Gas & Electric.
In 2011, ABB invested $10 million to work jointly with ECOtality on expanding electric vehicle initiatives across North America. That same year saw a partnership formed between ECOtality and Jones Lang LaSalle to identify additional commercial retail locations suitable for Blink charger installations.
Moreover, ECOtality co-created Collaboratev alongside ChargePoint, improving interoperability between different EV charging networks.
Innergy Power Corporation
Innergy Power Corporation focuses on engineering and producing thin sealed lead batteries along with high-quality flat-panel multicrystalline photovoltaic solar modules. The company is also advancing its electric vehicle battery technologies by manufacturing battery packs incorporating SLA, NiMH, and Lithium-ion chemistries to broaden its range of energy storage products.
Fuel Cell Store
Established in 1999 in Boulder, Colorado, Fuel Cell Store has become a prominent supplier of fuel cell knowledge, educational materials, and related parts. After being purchased following ECOtality's bankruptcy in 2013, the company moved its headquarters to College Station, Texas. It now functions as the largest global online distributor of fuel cell components, significantly enhancing its presence and development within the clean energy industry.