Ricardo, Inc. and PEP Stations LLC Unveil New Concept in Electric Vehicle Charging at NAIAS

VAN BUREN TWP., Mich., Jan. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Ricardo, Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of Ricardo plc, the leading independent provider of technology, product innovation and engineering solutions to the world's automotive, defense, transport and new energy industries, has today, in collaboration with PEP Stations LLC, unveiled a new electric vehicle charging station at the 2010 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) at Detroit's Cobo Center.

The new PEP Station is aimed at building a solid charging infrastructure as the electric vehicle market begins to grow. Similar to a standard fuel pump, the PEP Station allows drivers of electric vehicles to access electricity via an access card or credit card. When a vehicle connects to the PEP Station's 220V power supply, the PEP Station recognizes a connection and the LCD screen prompts the user to accept the price per hour of connectivity, if payment by credit card is desired, or swipe an access card. The station then asks the user to select the amount of charging time required and will begin charging or ask for a credit card to be swiped for authorization. When the vehicle's battery has been fully charged, or the time selected elapses, the station automatically discontinues the electricity. If the user does not desire to fully charge the vehicle, or wishes to discontinue the charge prior to the selected time expiring, they simply disconnect the power cord. The entire process is as easy as traditional methods of fueling vehicles, but done in a clean, eco-conscious manner.

At the 2010 NAIAS the PEP Station is the exclusive recharging station provided for EcoXperience, the high profile showcase of electric vehicles and green technologies which features a quarter-mile indoor ride-and-drive test track surrounded by landscaped and forested terrain. Two PEP Stations have been installed at the test track and are being used as charging points for the many electric vehicles being actively demonstrated, and a further three units will be available for display and demonstration purposes. More than 50,000 NAIAS visitors are expected to visit the EcoXperience display, at which PEP Station staff and Ricardo engineers will be on hand to explain the development of this state-of-the-art electric vehicle charging system.

The PEP Station has been developed to compliment the release of electric vehicles in the second half of 2010. Although electric vehicle owners can charge at home, in order for the owner to roam with total confidence, an infrastructure for out of home charging must be developed to make charging easy. Beautifully designed and easily identifiable by its stainless steel exterior, the PEP Station was designed to be a smart, stylish, and simple charging station for the electric vehicle driver of today and tomorrow.

"The first question most people ask when they begin to toy with the idea of owning an electric vehicle is, 'How much will I save in gas?' says PEP Stations President, James Blain. "Equally as important as the first question, the second question is, 'Where will I charge my vehicle?' That's where we come in. As the electric vehicle market begins to flourish, consumers will need a convenient, reliable and easily accessible way to charge their vehicle outside of the home. It's that simple. The PEP Station does just that in a safe, reliable, user-friendly, 220V charging station that can easily be installed at commercial destinations."

"With CO2 emissions reduction targets being adopted around the world with the aim of mitigating the effects of man-made climate change, we believe that the increasing electrification of new vehicles - be it through hybridization, electric vehicles or range-extended plug-in hybrids - is a trend that will continue to grow," explains Ricardo global director of controls & electronics Karina Morley. "The creation of a commercially viable and effective recharging infrastructure will be a key enabler to the achievement of such climate change goals, allowing electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle users to maximize their zero-emission mileage. Ricardo has been a proud partner in the engineering development of the PEP Station, helping to create a world-class vehicle recharging product. It is great to see it unveiled for the first time in action, supporting the high profile EcoXperience exhibit at this year's NAIAS."

About PEP Stations LLC

Conceptualized, designed and sold by PEP Stations, LLC, PEP Stations are a joint collaboration of James Blain Associates and Ricardo. James Blain Associates is a Michigan-based design and architectural company with over thirty years of award-winning commercial design experience. For more information visit www.pepstations.com or email at [email protected].

About Ricardo

Ricardo, the Eco-Innovation Technology Company, is a leading independent provider of technology, product innovation, engineering solutions and strategic consulting to the world's automotive, military, transport and new energy industries. The company's skill base represents the state-of-the-art in low emissions and fuel-efficient powertrain technology, and can be best summarized: "Ricardo is Fuel Economy." Ricardo offers TVFE(TM), its Total Vehicle Fuel Economy engineering service, to transportation manufacturers and related government agencies worldwide to provide objective evaluation of all available technologies to identify the most cost-effective strategies to accomplish fuel economy and CO2 goals.

With technical centers and offices throughout Europe, the U.S. and Asia, Ricardo provides engineering expertise ranging from vehicle systems integration, controls & electronics, hardware and software development, to the latest driveline and transmission systems and gasoline, diesel, hybrid and fuel cell powertrain technologies. Ricardo's customers include the world's major automakers and suppliers as well as manufacturers in the military, commercial, off-highway and clean energy sectors. The company also serves in advisory roles to governmental and independent agencies. Ricardo's U.S. operation, Ricardo Inc, is headquartered in Van Buren Township, Michigan. Ricardo plc posted sales of $296.6 million in financial year 2009 and is a constituent of the FTSE TechMark 100 index - a group of innovative technology companies listed on the London Stock Exchange. For more information, visit www.ricardo.com.

SOURCE Ricardo, Inc.