MAPLEWOOD, MN - 3M has installed its first ChargePoint electric vehicle charging station at the company's global headquarters in Minnesota.

The ChargePoint station, manufactured by California-based Coulomb Technologies, is the first of two that 3M will have on its campus to serve employees and their guests. The unit was unveiled Feb. 10 at 3M world headquarters in the visitor's parking lot, located at the center of the campus in Maplewood. The second unit will be installed this spring at the company's customer innovation center on the northwest side of the property. 

The ChargePoint charging station was sold and installed by Carbon Day Automotive, Coulomb's Midwest and Chicago distributor. 

The ChargePoint Network's features -- such as the ability to measure greenhouse gas savings and measure electricity usage -- will help 3M improve the company's sustainability efforts and further reduce the company's carbon footprint. Other workplace benefits provided by Coulomb's ChargePoint Network include:

• Controlling access for employees: 3M can control who may access the charging stations (paid or free) to eliminate energy theft and enhance safety.

• Measuring performance of green initiatives: 3M can track energy, greenhouse gas and fuel savings. ChargePoint stations provide the ability to track and report the benefits associated with EV charging.

• Implementing cost-saving utility programs and incentives: Utility-grade meters and the ability to communicate with other Smart Grid systems enable demand response, time-of-use pricing, and other Smart Grid programs provided by 3M's local utility.

The ChargePoint networked EV charging stations are managed by the ChargePoint Network and provide EV drivers the ability to locate and navigate to charging stations from any smart phone and the ability to detect charging station availability from a smart phone or Google Maps. 

The ChargePoint Network also facilitates EV trip mapping, driver billing, 24/7 driver assistance, and greenhouse gas and energy savings (kWh) measurement. 

The charging stations have dual outputs that deliver energy simultaneously: a 7.2 kW output delivering Level II (208/240 VAC @ 30 A) charging via the standard SAE J1772 connector and fixed 18-foot cable, and a 2 kW output delivering Level I (120 VAC @ 16 A) charging via a standard NEMA 5-20 receptacle protected behind a locking door.