Worry-free Charging on the Road or at Home with Bayer MaterialScience and ChargePoint’s CT4021 Bollard Dual Charging Station

Pittsburgh, PA, January 30, 2014 --(PR.com)-- Electric mobility, a more sustainable means of transportation that reduces dependence on oil, is gaining traction globally. Public charging stations are being installed in increasing numbers to support the growing number of electric vehicles on the road. Polycarbonates from Bayer MaterialScience are playing a role in protecting these charging stations from the elements.

ChargePoint, the world’s largest network of EV charging stations with over 15,000 charging locations and a 70 percent market share, sought an impact-resistant material that met stringent flame retardance ratings to stylishly protect its chargers. ChargePoint engineers wanted to collaborate with a materials supplier that provided material technology expertise, as well as the ability to assist with part prototyping. After a careful evaluation, the company selected Bayer MaterialScience LLC and its Makrolon® polycarbonate.

“Many of our 15,000+ charging locations are outside and in unattended public locations,” said Dimitrios Papadogonas, ChargePoint vice president of marketing. “We chose Makrolon polycarbonate because it is strong, rugged and can withstand the elements.”

The resulting CT4021 Bollard Dual Charging Station is making it easier than ever for EV owners to get a worry-free charge on the road or at home.

The CT4021, which utilizes Makrolon® 6487 polycarbonate for the top cap and plug holsters, as well as Makrolon® 6557 clear polycarbonate for the front-facing panels, gives station owners a more affordable, customizable, and intuitive way to help drivers charge up. The charger doubles the number of parking spaces served by allowing for two charging ports to share one single circuit. It also reduces installation and incremental costs by allowing for greater charge spot capacity. Additionally, its Clean Cord Technology features maintenance-free, light-weight, self-retracting cords.

The Makrolon 6487 polycarbonate used to form the top cap and plug holsters was selected for its flame retardant UL 94V-0/1.5 mm and 5VA/3.0 mm ratings, according to ChargePoint. The Makrolon 6557 clear polycarbonate that forms the front-facing panels is impact-resistant as well as flame retardant and has a UL 94V-0/3.0 mm rating.

“Working closely to complement the design expertise of ChargePoint’s engineers, we provided several design iterations to virtually optimize the part,” said Ignacio Osio, key growth program manager, Polycarbonates, Bayer MaterialScience LLC. “Optimizing the part before production helped shorten the time to market as well as provided savings on molding and tooling costs.”

To further demonstrate its commitment to sustainable development, Bayer has installed a ChargePoint charger at its Bayer CropScience campus in Kansas City, Mo.

“ChargePoint is happy to collaborate with Bayer on its efforts to offer EV charging to its employees through installing a ChargePoint station on its campus,” Papadogonas said.

About ChargePoint
ChargePoint is the largest and most open electric vehicle (EV) charging network in the world, with more than 15,000 charging locations and a 70%+ market share. Ranked #1 by leading independent research firm, Navigant Research, ChargePoint makes advanced hardware and best-in-class cloud based software. ChargePoint’s open network is utilized by many leading EV hardware makers and encourages all EV charging manufacturers to join. ChargePoint’s real-time network information including the availability of charging locations throughout the nation is available through the ChargePoint mobile app, online and via the navigation systems in top-selling EVs including the new BMW i3 and the Nissan Leaf. Every 10 seconds, a driver connects to a ChargePoint station and by initiating over 3.7 million charging sessions, ChargePoint drivers have saved over 2.6 million gallons of gasoline and driven 65 million gas free miles.

For more information about ChargePoint, visit www.chargepoint.com.

About Bayer MaterialScience LLC:

Bayer MaterialScience LLC is one of the leading producers of high-performance plastics in North America and is part of the global Bayer MaterialScience business with approximately 14,500 employees at 30 production sites around the world and 2012 sales of 11.5 billion euros. The company manufactures high-tech polymer materials and develops innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, electrical and electronics, construction, medical, and sports and leisure industries. Sustainability is central to Bayer MaterialScience LLC’s business and is based around the key areas of innovation, product stewardship, social responsibility and respect for the environment.