The purpose of the event was to share ideas and develop new apps in the areas of electro-mobility and sustainability.

The winning app is designed to help electric-car users communicate quickly and simply with one another on an anonymous basis in order to use charging stations efficiently and minimize waiting times.

Eighty software developers and computer programmers participated in the two-day “hack event” held between April 27 and 29 in Mountain View, California, according to BMW.

The event’s main sponsors were the car-sharing service DriveNow and ChargePoint, as well as BMW.

Fifteen 15 apps for smartphones and mobile phones competed for first place in seven award categories.

A total of $3,000 in prize money was awarded to the most practical, creative apps.

BMW said that a widespread problem, currently, is the less-than-optimal utilization of electric-vehicle charging stations, which are often used by only one vehicle for an extended period of time.

A growing concern: electric vehicles may be parked at a charging station during an entire workday… While only needing a couple hours of charge.

The winning apps enable electric-car owners to communicate with one another in order to use charging stations more efficiently and maximize their utilization.

For example: One car is parked at a charging station; the other arrives at the station and needs ten minutes’ worth of electricity to reach its destination. The driver of the second vehicle can use the app on his or her mobile phone to contact the driver of the first car quickly and anonymously to request permission to charge the vehicle for a short time – naturally, with the assurance that the first car will be plugged in again afterwards.

The winning apps can be found through this link: https://www.hackerleague.org/hackathons/sustainability-hackathon-mv/wikipages/511eb98b9989c5b204000016 while blog posts related to the event can be accessed through these: http://tech.jeancarl.com/2013/04/29/bmw-sustainability-hackathon/ and http://www.transportationtechnologyventures.com/blog/?p=445 .

Meanwhile, Chargepoint has uploaded pictures of the event on its corporate Facebook page.

The post Sustainability Hackathon Results In New EV Apps appeared first on HybridCars.com.

ChargePoint and DBT USA say they will showcase a joint EV charging station innovation at the 2013 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

With more than 10,000 charging stations installed in 32 countries and three continents across the globe, DBT will step in the U.S. EV charging station market with a new product to be announced during CES.

The companies will showcase the joint solution from Jan. 8 to 11, 2013, inside the GoElectricDrive Tech Zone.

With experience in both Level 2 and DC electric vehicle charging technology for fleet, workplace and public charging, DBT says it offers the best in class hardware architecture. The company has been in business for more than 20 years and is a major partner of several automakers, including Nissan in Europe for the installation of next-generation DC quick chargers.

ChargePoint has the world’s largest online network of independently owned charging stations. Based in the Silicon Valley, the company says its ChargePoint network accounts for more than 812 megawatt-hours of energy each month currently dispensed through its stations, with drivers plugging in for more than 4,100 charging sessions per day.

The post Joint EV Charging Innovation To Be Showcased At 2013 CES appeared first on HybridCars.com.

The EV charger company said that with a new user experience and redesigned look, the ChargePoint EV charging station app now features all EV charging stations installed in the United States, not just those on the ChargePoint network.

Additionally, EV drivers can now easily identify which stations have pricing and exactly how far they are from their location.

The updated ChargePoint EV charging station app is available for free and is said to provide EV drivers direct access to their social network accounts including Facebook and Twitter.

“ChargePoint is the world’s largest electric vehicle global charging network,” said Pat Romano, president and CEO of ChargePoint. “One feature EV drivers have requested is the ability to navigate, access and charge at any electric vehicle charging station, not just those on the ChargePoint network. With more than ten thousand EV charging spots on the ChargePoint network and thousands more out of the network this is the easiest way to find any EV charging station anywhere in North America.”

ChargePoint says it provides the industry’s first and only EV charging station mobile app that give drivers real-time charging station status, detailed station information including pricing and the ability to view your home charging station. EV drivers can make EV charging station reservations, payments and find location information through this app.

According to the company’s website, the revised app allow users to:

• Find charging stations near you or near an address you specify

• Get turn-by-turn directions to charging stations

• See whether a charging station is available before you go

• See station details such as price

• Display a list of stations with a 1,000 foot radius of where you are

• Locate reservable stations and make, view and cancel reservations

• View charging stats while your car charges

• Receive notification when your car is fully charged

• View your ChargePoint account details

The post New ChargePoint EV Charging Station Mobile App appeared first on HybridCars.com.

ChargePoint is holding its first annual electric vehicle charging station holiday photo contest.

Until Friday, Dec. 21, EV drivers and EV charging station owners can e-mail photos of their favorite EV charging stations for a chance to win a year of free EV charging.

The EV charging station photos will also be featured on ChargePoint’s new EV charging station photo array and in ChargePoint’s CES booth.

Photos will be judged in seven different categories: Holiday; Scenic; Signage; Retail; MDU; Parking facilities; and Other.

Each day of the contest, Team ChargePoint judges will post the best of the incoming entries in the EV Charging Station Photo of the Day section of the company’s Web site.

Winners will be announced on Dec. 28, 2012.

“ChargePoint is world’s largest EV charging station network with more than 10,000 EV charging spots in the United States alone,” said Pat Romano, president and CEO at ChargePoint. “We understand the pride and loyalty EV drivers have and know there is a lot of affection for their EV charging stations. We hope EV drivers and our customers will take a moment this busy holiday season and send us their favorite photos. Good luck to you all!”

The post ChargePoint’s Electric Vehicle Charging Station Holiday Photo Contest appeared first on HybridCars.com.