Drivers of electric vehicles can shop for WattStation, GE’s EV charger, on Amazon. A GE online tool lets them calculate their annual fuel and CO2 savings. Starting today, they can also pay for their charge over the phone, with PayPal. “Simplicity and convenience are key to mass adoption of any new technology,” says Scott Dunlap, PayPal’s vice president for emerging opportunities.
GE built a new WattStation web application and teamed up with PayPal so that EV drivers can securely pay with their smartphones for a charge. They can download the WattStation Connect mobile app from the Apple iTunes store.
Got Juice?: GE built a new EV web application and teamed up with PayPal so that EV drivers can securely pay with their smartphones for charge from GE’s WattStations.
The app lets drivers locate the nearest free EV charger, find driving directions, and get real-time charge pricing data. When they arrive, drivers use the app to scan the quick response (QR) code displayed on the WattStation screen. The QR code will identify the charger and its pricing structure. Drivers then simply pay for the charge via PayPal.“It’s designed with the end user at the top of the mind,” says Michael Mahan, general manager for EV infrastructure at GE Energy’s Industrial Solutions business.
GE spent the last year building its WattStation Connect software suite. It allows drivers communicate online directly with charging stations, which plug into the Internet via 3G cellular networks, Wi-Fi, or Ethernet.
