Melville Company Leads the Charge with Electric Cars

Leviton, Melville’s global manufacturer of electrical devices, is putting the electric car industry into high voltage with the release of two vehicle chargers, available Aug. 1.

The company won a contract with Ford in January to produce the home charging systems for the new Focus Electric, a completely gas-free vehicle. The electric vehicle (EV) emits no carbon dioxide emissions and runs exclusively on electric power.

When Leviton saw that car manufacturers were starting to build all-electric vehicles two years ago, the company started to put together charging models with their Evr-Green line of products. The chargers will be manufactured in the company’s El Paso, Texas plant, and are made of 60-percent recycled materials.

Leviton’s charger is customized for Ford’s aesthetics and specifications, but since there is a national standard for electric vehicles, other electric models such as the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf will also be compatible.

While the design and capabilities of the “plug in” car are impressive, the companies said that a full charge lasts about 100 miles. That’s where Leviton stepped in once again, creating a portable charging unit for enviromentally conscious drivers on the go.

The company has added a portable charger and home charging station to its Evr-Green line, which will be available for purchase next month.

The portable device can be plugged into any standard 15-amp or 20-amp, 125-volt grounded receptacle found in nearly all homes, buildings and public facilities. The home charging station provides up to 16 amps at 240 volts.

"We are delighted to make our industry-leading EV charging solutions available for all our customer segments," Mike Mattei, vice president and general manager for Leviton's commercial and industrial division said. "We have complete confidence that residential consumers, automakers and electrical industry professionals alike will embrace these superior, competitively priced products."

Ford is releasing between 5,000 and 10,000 of the Focus Electric vehicles this year. The chargers are priced around $1,000, but tax credits for the purchase of an electric vehicle help to offset its costs.

With several air quality alerts already issued this summer and New York gas prices at an average of $3.90 a gallon, electric vehicles seem to be charging ahead in the consumer market, and Melville’s own Leviton is right there with them.