We’ve seen some rather inventive USB chargers in our time, but surprisingly few have managed to make charging while traveling a painless process. Aviiq’s new Portable Charging Station, on the other hand, has threatened to make the outside world a more welcoming place when it comes to juicing up. Acting as a sort of USB hub in a bag, this little black travel sleeve lets you pack and power three USB devices — even an iPad — with one outlet. What’s more, the station allows for easy syncing by way of a retractable USB port. So $80 ain’t cheap, and it won’t cook up pork and beans while you sing Camptown Races, but if you’re willing to shell out a little extra scratch for a practical USB travel charger, you can get your hands on one at the source link below. Full PR after the break.

Continue reading Aviiq Portable Charging Station does kitsch-free USB juicing in small black bag

Aviiq Portable Charging Station does kitsch-free USB juicing in small black bag originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jul 2011 02:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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So you’re the first person in town to adopt an electric vehicle (EV), even clearing room for that 240v charging station in the garage. But what do you when you venture far from home, edging past the 200 mile mark on your Tesla Roadster? Well, if the Sanya Skypump ever sees the light of day (from its 150-watt solar panel), the hybrid solar / wind turbine-powered charging station will be making its way to parking lots around the world, pairing with a GE WattStation to juice up your EV as you shop at the mall, or browse a certain tech site from the office. The WattStation can theoretically recharge your EV in four to eight hours, though we’re not sure how those figures translate with this particular setup. The Skypump system is based on Sanya’s Streetlamp, which you can see in all its twirling glory in the B.o.B. music video remix just past the break.

Continue reading Sanya Skypump charges your EV, illuminates parking lots using wind and rays (video)

Sanya Skypump charges your EV, illuminates parking lots using wind and rays (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 24 Jul 2011 19:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Things are lookin’ up in New England — particularly for those who crisscross Yawkey Way with an electric vehicle. A grand total of 142 EV charging stations are slated to hit The Bay State in the coming months, with 25 communities across the commonwealth to get gifted. Boston reports that the majority of ‘em will be in “common commuter or traveler spots,” places like downtown parking garages, MBTA lots, shopping malls, etc. The bulk of the boxes will be part of the ChargePoint network, and we’re told that the rates for recharging will be set by “municipalities on public land and by property owners on private land,” depending on where each box is planted. So, is the charging station rollout between NY and MA the new Yankees vs. Red Sox? Nah, but a techie can dream.

142 electric vehicle charging stations head to Massachusetts, Nantucket and MV not included originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 24 Jul 2011 10:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Need to pick up a foursome of Detolf display cases? Better know a pal with a pickup, bub. Unless, of course, your nearest IKEA happens to be one of ten situated in Arizona, California, Oregon and Washington. The famed furniture retailer has just nailed down a partnership with ECOtality, with a smattering of its western US stores to host Blink electric vehicle charging stations. Each of the sites be evaluated for feasibility and installation needs, and we’re told that the first stations should become operational this fall. The pilot program is currently set to last through December of 2012, but we’re guessing it’ll end up surviving quite a bit longer — after all, it was already tough enough to resist a weekly trip to this place. Now? Swedish meatballs just become a daily affair.

Continue reading Select IKEA stores to host Blink electric vehicle charging stations, Volts now suitable for furniture pickup

Select IKEA stores to host Blink electric vehicle charging stations, Volts now suitable for furniture pickup originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Jul 2011 05:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Despite being first showcased in May, Pininfarina’s Antares has just slipped across our desks — and frankly, it’s a concept too gorgeous for us not to share. The beautiful tree-like structure — comprised of steel and aluminum — supports 20 photovoltaic cells, which the Italians reckon can produce up to 4.6 kilowatts, or just about enough juice to top up two fifty-mile range EVs. That’s the plan anyway; we’ll supposedly know more later this year, but given Pininfarina’s past EV efforts, maybe not. Either way, consider this our formal pre-order request for two — they’d look perfect right outside Engadget HQ.

Pininfarina’s stunning tree-shaped Antares EV charging station should be more than a prototype originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Jun 2011 05:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nothing like a dead battery to kill your Foursquare buzz at a summer concert, eh? Vodafone feels your pain and so, in an act of brilliant PR, is rolling out a 40-foot truck capable of charging up to 2,000 devices simultaneously. Peeking inside the 44-ton station, it’s hard (for us, anyway) not to think of a bowling alley with cubbies, except they aren’t filled with rental clown shoes, but outlets ready to revive iPhones, BlackBerrys, Nokia handsets, and a host of Android phones. The service is free, and the carrier expects to charge roughly 72,000 handsets this summer alone. All told, our friends in the UK will get 11 chances this year to try it out, with the first public outing coming at the Isle of Wight festival next month. If, like us, you’ll be stuck elsewhere watching repeats of Lady Gaga’s concert special on HBO, have a peek at the Union Jack-blanketed press shots below.

Vodafone truck can recharge 2,000 devices at once, is coming to an Isle of Wight near you originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 May 2011 18:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Some day you’ll charge everything wirelessly — phones, cars, graphing calculators, all using the same basic technology. That’s the sort of utopian vision Toyota had in mind when it formed the Wireless Battery-charging Alliance with WiTricity. The young Massachusetts-based company is pushing “resonance” technology, which charges electronics without contact and is supposedly more efficient than induction-based charging — a category that includes the popular Qi standard. This new partnership ups the ante, adding electric vehicles to the list of chargeable devices, a vision of the future where Prius batteries can be filled wirelessly, while sitting in driveways and parking garages. Exxon’s engineers are no doubt working to perfect the hose-free gasoline transfer as we speak. PR after the break.

[Thanks, Paul]

Continue reading Toyota and WiTricity team up for OTA car charging

Toyota and WiTricity team up for OTA car charging originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 14:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One day in the future, we’ll all drive around in electric cars and gas pumps will be replaced by clean charging stations. Also, free ice cream. Until then, get it line — or better yet, reserve a spot online courtesy of ChargePoint‘s online database of alternative fueling stations. The Coulomb Technologies-run site displays charging stations on a Google Map, with a colored pin letting you know in real-time whether someone is currently topping off their Tesla. If you’re the type with foresight — you did buy an electric car, after all — you can schedule some quality time with an outlet on the site using your ChargePass card. The cost of charging is determined by the station’s manager, and appointments can be cancelled up to 24 hours in advance. The site has some serious competition on the EV charging map, courtesy of the newly launched GeoEVSE, a collaboration between US Department of Energy, Google, and 80 other companies. Maybe the new reservations feature will help ChargePoint win the race to your heart.

Continue reading ChargePoint lets you reserve electric charging stations, cuts down on alternative fueling fistfights

ChargePoint lets you reserve electric charging stations, cuts down on alternative fueling fistfights originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 21:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Continue reading Los Angeles pilot program offers up to $2,000 off EV charging stations

Los Angeles pilot program offers up to $2,000 off EV charging stations originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 11:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amsterdam is known for its affinity for two-wheeled transportation, but the cycling-crazed city is also making a serious commitment to EVs for those Dutch who prefer driving. As a part of a plan introduced two years ago to eliminate internal combustion from its streets by 2040, the Netherlands’ capital is looking to add to its existing 100 EV charging stations. The City Council has charged Dutch power company Essent with the installation of an additional 125 public plug-in points this year, with the possibility of adding 625 more. These new chargers may make it easier to juice up your electric car, but given the current price of EVs, we aren’t sure how many Amsterdam residents will trade in their Kalkoffs for Fiat 500s and Smart ForTwos. PR’s after the break.

Continue reading Amsterdam orders 125 public EV charging stations, hastens the death of internal combustion

Amsterdam orders 125 public EV charging stations, hastens the death of internal combustion originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 24 Apr 2011 06:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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