A charger installed in the San Francisco Bay Area is the first of its kind to be integrated as part of the EV Project.

ECOtality Partners has installed a Blink DC Fast Charger at the Volkswagen Group of America's Electronics Research Laboratory (ERL) off of Highway 101 in Belmont, California. The company says that the device provides an 80 percent charge in under 30 minutes for most electronic vehicles (EVs). Drivers can roll up to the laboratory and recharge for free.

In 2009, ECOtality received a $99.8 million grant from the US Department of Energy to launch the EV Project. The project studies vehicle and infrastructure use in American cities to determine the most effective methods of phasing electric vehicles into Americans' lives.

With additional Department of Energy money and partner grants, the value of the program is $230 million.

Drivers who qualify to participate in the program receive free residential chargers.

"Installing the first publicly accessible Blink DC Fast Charger in Northern California is essential for connecting the San Jose to San Francisco corridor and serves as a cornerstone for growing our EV charge infrastructure," ECOtality CEO Jonathan Read said in a statement. "This installation symbolizes Volkswagen's commitment to electric transportation and we look forward to working with them."

The dual-port charger features two EV charging connectors and a connector dock for storage and protection, and is operated by two interactive touch screens.

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