Car Charging Station-Maker Coulomb Raises $15 Million to Expand Network

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2,097 views Sep 10, 2010

Coulomb electric-car charger, Madison, WI

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Coulomb Technologies, a leader in roadside charging stations and infrastructure, announced a $15 million third round of funding, which it will use to further develop its network of electric vehicle charging stations.

The company has inked partnerships with Leviton and Siemens, which will add their electric vehicle (EV) equipment to Coulomb’s ChargePoint network. Coulomb’s charging stations – already in use in New York, Detroit and Sydney — have wireless applications that allow drivers to track their car’s charging progress from their iPhone or computer.

Charging stations are gaining traction, with increasing consumer interest in EVs and the coming rollout of the Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Volt and Coda sedan this year.

Coulomb has competition on its heels from other EV-charging service providers such as Better Place, which has also rolled out charging stations and infrastructure worldwide – and has a deal with the Hawaiian government to build switch stations, where consumers can swap out depleted car batteries for a fully charged one. Hawaii is a hot market for EVs thanks to the state’s commitment to renewable energy and short driving distances, which are less of a barrier for the small range – about 100 miles per charge – of most EVs set to hit the market this year.

Coulomb Technologies CT-2000 electric vehicle charging station

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Coulomb also has a deal with the Department of Energy to install 4,600 home and public charging stations across the U.S. The company has shipped more than 850 stations since 2009, and recently announced a line of chargers for home use.

The $15 million in funding comes from existing investors Rho Ventures, Voyager Capital, Siemens Venture Capital and Hartford Ventures. Coulomb also snagged new investors: Harbor Pacific Capital, LS Cable and LS Industrial Systems.

This story, written by Iris Kuo, was originally posted on VentureBeat's GreenBeat, an editorial partner of AllCarsElectric.

Coulomb Technologies CT-500 electric vehicle charging station