Electric cars like the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf are coming onto the market. And charging stations for them are starting to pop up as well. The state Department of Commerce awarded Raleigh-based Praxis Technologies a 240-thousand dollar grant. Praxis has partnered with Silicon Valley-based Coulomb Technologies to install around 20 electric car charge stations across the state. Praxis CEO Skip Kurz says their goal is to raise awareness about the technology.
Skip Kurz: "One of the barriers to purchasing an EV is fear of not having capability to charge while they're out, you know, shopping or whatever, and they lose their battery and can't get home. So our role is just to promote awareness and then develop business models from there. We have hospitals, airports, cities, rest stops, shopping malls... all the different types of locations that are considering or will put in under this grant a charging unit that we can work with them to make it happen for them."
Kurz says electric cars will appeal to a certain group of people.
Kurz: "And I happen to fit into it as a family. We have two children in high school and middle school. And my wife drives an inordinate amount of time with a low-mileage vehicle. And a Leaf is the perfect answer."
Kurz says the units will be as far west as Greensboro and Winston-Salem as well as in eastern cities like Fayetteville. He says they should be usable by the end of the year.