GM taps SPX Service Solutions to install chargers for Volt
General Motors' Chevrolet division announced an agreement with SPX Service Solutions, Warren, Mich., to install 240V home charging units for buyers of the soon-to-be-released Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid-electric car. Priced at $490 before installation, Chevrolet's “Voltec” 240V home charging unit is one of several 240V home charging units that will be offered for sale by SPX Service Solutions, a "national provider of home charging installation services and equipment."
The 240V Voltec charging system can charge a depleted Volt's battery in four hours, compared to 10 hours it would take using a standard 110V source. GM estimated installation costs at $1,475 but said it "can vary based upon electrical requirements."
SPX will also sell a variety of other home charging stations and manage all aspects of installation for Volt owners, including the home survey, installation, permitting, Department of Energy and utility coordination and identification of available programs and incentives for reduced charging rates, GM said.
According to an article from Automobile Magazine, "Customers will upload photos of their garage and electric service panel through www.homecharging.spx.com/volt. SPX will then conduct an on-site survey, provide a quote, secure the necessary permit, perform the installation and assist with the inspection. With SPX installation, the equipment also includes a three-year warranty."
UPDATE: The SPX Service Solutions site for the company's EVSE Team (EVSE = electric vehicle service equipment) shows that the company operates a network of independent electrical contractors who are certified to do the installations.
About the Author
Doug Chandler, Senior Staff Writer
Executive Editor
Doug Chandler began writing about the electrical industry in 1992, and still finds there's never a shortage of stories to be told. So he spends his days finding them and telling them. Educationally, he's a Jayhawk with an English degree. Outside of work, he can often be found banging drums or harvesting tomatoes.