DTE Energy chooses charging station supplier for plug-in vehicle program

Posted on March 3, 2011

Warren-based SPX Service Solutions LLC will supply 2,500 home plug-in electric vehicle charging stations to DTE Energy customers, DTE announced today.

The DTE pilot program will provide reduced rates for customers to charge electric vehicles, and DTE will pay $2,500 towards each station and the installation of the 240-volt stations.

DTE Energy customers enrolled in the program will receive an electricity meter that records energy used to charge the electric vehicles and the time of day when charging occurs.

Eligible customers can choose between a rate option with a lower rate for charging during off-peak hours — 11 p.m. to 9 a.m., Monday-Friday and all day on weekends — or a monthly-flat fee of $40 per vehicle.

The 240-volt stations can fully charge a plug-in electric in four hours.

“We want to jump-start the plug-in electric vehicle market in Southeastern Michigan,” Trevor Lauer, DTE’s vice president of marketing and renewables, said in a release. “DTE Energy is working closely with all the automakers to understand their models and how we can integrate with them to make the PEV experience seamless to our customers.”

Initial customers will receive a Southfield-based Lear Corp.-manufactured Voltec charging stations. Other units will be available at a later date — including an SPX-branded station and a station from Campbell, Calif.-based Coulomb Technologies Inc. SPX will work with the customer to find the proper unit for the customer’s home, said Charlie Yankitis, director of business development and EV Solutions for SPX.

SPX handles installations, permitting, inspections, and other services related to charging the GM Volt.

Interested DTE customers can apply to the program at dteenergy.com/pev.