Helping parking operators create a charging infrastructure for electric cars

We’ve seen a couple of different initiatives to provide drivers of electric vehicles with free power for their cars—both at a McDonald’s and at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport—but as such vehicles become more widespread, efforts like that are unlikely to remain sustainable. Recognizing the need for a formal charging infrastructure, SemaConnect has developed an automated solution that lets parking operators build, scale and manage a network of vehicle-charging systems. SemaConnect offers a range of both pedestal-mounted and wall-mounted charging stations that enable electric cars and plug-in hybrids to connect effortlessly to a power source. Smart card authentication gives only authorized users access to charging, while cellular connectivity transmits transaction information to a remote server. The SemaCharge Network Management System, meanwhile, is a web-based system that allows infrastructure operators such as municipalities, utilities, commercial parking lot operators and apartment building managers to monitor and manage their network of charging stations, including metering, billing and demand response. The SemaCharge network also gives consumers the ability to track their usage and pay online. As company founder Mahi Reddy recently told the Washington Post, “the notion that your landlord would install a socket so that you could get free juice is a fantasy. This is not like charging a cellphone.” Maryland-based SemaConnect recently installed one of its first devices at the Loews Annapolis Hotel, the Post reports. Parking-lot operators around the globe: one to get in on early…? (Related: Parking operator launches car-sharing service.) Spotted by: Susanna Haynie