Toyota enters EV charger market

Eager to cement its position as a leading player in the fast expanding low carbon vehicle market, Toyota has announced plans to enter the EV charging station business - and in an attempt to stoke its green credentials still further, the units will utilise solar power.

The charging stations, which will be anchored on telephone poles, will generate 100 to 200 volts of electricity, storing their energy in batteries until needed.

According to reports, the charging stations will also communicate their status to a central computer, and authenticate users' credentials, potentially paving the way for a revenue model where customers pay for membership to the recharging network.

Toyota Industries had already demonstrated a new public charging station for electric vehicles earlier this year, but the new unti it the first to make use of solar power.

Toyota, which is preparing to launch a plug-in version of its iconic Prius hybrid, is not the only vehicle company interested in installing chargers. Nissan is also racing to install a network of charger units to support the full electric Leaf vehicle which it is due to launch next year.

Meanwhile, US start up Better Place is forging ahead with an innovative battery swap model that would see motorists replace empty batteries with recharged versions at dedicated recharging stations.

In related news, Californian electric car company Tesla Motors has been approved for a $28.8 million tax break from California's Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority.

The tax break is linked to a planned factory that will build its 2012 Model S electric sedan vehicle, and is the latest boost to the high profile firm, which has pulled in significant investment this year to help fund the new plant, including a $465 million loan from the Department of Energy.

The company has maintained a firm commitment to developing its manufacturing base in California, and earlier this year announced plans to build a powertrain facility in a 350,000 square foot building in Palo Alto.