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Smartphones are becoming an ever more integral part of motoring, especially for those driving plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs).

Virtually every PEV manufacturer has developed apps for mobile devices allowing remote access for monitoring charge status, initiating charging, pre-heating and pre-cooling interiors, locating charging stations, and much more.

General Motors is basing its remote PEV access on the well-established OnStar system. In one example, Chevy Volt owners can manage vehicle charging, including the option to charge during off-peak hours through the OnStar RemoteLink Mobile App.

The 2014 Chevy Spark EV will also come with the Spark EV Waypoint tab integrated into the RemoteLink app. The aim is to help reduce the range anxiety experienced by some battery electric vehicle drivers.

When a destination is selected, the app will determine whether the destination is within the range of a single charge based on the distance and battery state-of-charge. If not, the app will plot a waypoint route with recommended charging stations along the route.

In some cases the trip may not be possible because the destination is beyond the vehicle’s range and no waypoint charging stations are available along the route. The app tells a driver how long the trip will take including charging time at each waypoint. In addition to mobile devices, waypoint routing will be available on GM Owner Center, allowing directions to be sent online to a vehicle.

The next step is the Park-Tap-Charge app that’s currently in prototype stage. Here, when EV drivers tap their smartphone against a charging station, the device will automatically show payment options that, once accepted, will initiate charging.

Prior to accepting payment, the app will show the hourly rate of charging, estimated time for a full charge, and estimated full-charge cost. The app uses Near Field Communication technology for contactless payment that’s already used in smartphones.

General Motor has debuted its first all-electric car since the sporty EV1 that was sold for a time in the 1990s. The Chevrolet Spark EV is basically a Korean-built, five-door Spark subcompact sedan converted into an electric vehicle. However, the drive unit and motor will be assembled at GM’s White Marsh, Maryland manufacturing facility using parts sourced from U.S. and global suppliers.

The Spark EV is powered by a GM-designed, coaxial drive unit and electric motor. Rated at 130 horsepower and 400 lb-ft torque, this motor can accelerate the four passenger EV to 60 mph in under eight seconds. Electric energy is stored in the 20 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery. The 560 pound battery pack consists of 336 prismatic cells. It’s warranted for eight years or 100,000 miles. GM has not provided range estimates for the Spark EV, but it is expected to match or exceed that of competitive EVs like the Nissan LEAF and Ford Focus EV, or about 80 miles under real world conditions.

SAE Combo DC Fast Charging will be optional. This will allow the Spark EV to reach 80 percent of full battery charge in as little as 20 minutes in fast-charge mode. A common on-board charging receptacle accommodates all three charging systems – DC Fast Charge, AC 240V, and AC 120V. Using a dedicated 240V outlet, the Spark EV recharges in less than seven hours.

Owners can control charging according to their expected departure time or when electric rates are lowest. Managing and monitoring the vehicle is also possible remotely via computer at OnStar.com, or with a special Chevrolet Mobile App powered by OnStar Remote Link. Drivers can view critical vehicle functions on one of two reconfigurable, high-resolution, seven-inch color LCD screens. Information includes a confidence gauge showing expected driving range based on driving habits and other conditions.

Many external changes are made from the regular Spark to improve aerodynamic efficiency and reduce range-killing drag. The result is a drag coefficient of 0.325 Cd and 2.5 additional miles of range. Low rolling resistance tires add another five to seven miles.

GM says the Spark EV will go on sale in summer 2014. It will initially be sold in California and Oregon, thus at least for now it is considered a ‘compliance’ EV that is being marketed mainly to meet California’s ZEV mandate. The mandate will require 15 percent of cars sold in this state by 2025 to be zero emission vehicles. It will also be available in Canada, Korea, and other global markets. The Spark EV will list for just under $32,500 and qualify for a $7,500 federal tax credit. Even with this incentive, the electric version is nearly double the base price of Chevy’s gasoline-powered Spark. Californians could get an additional $2,000 to $2,500 rebate to help soften the price differential.

It’s interesting to chart the growing sales of hybrids and other clean vehicles today. What’s really enlightening, though, is to understand how these vehicles are being used and what their implications are for our driving future.

That’s where cutting-edge demonstration projects like Austin’s Pecan Street bring great value to urban and transportation planners, by providing a real-life example of how far we can take sustainable, low-, or no-carbon transportation and daily living with currently available technology.

Austin’s Pecan Street, Inc, the country's first non-profit research and development consortia focused on energy, wireless, and consumer electronics technology, recently joined with GM subsidiary OnStar to collect and analyze real-world energy consumption through driving and charging data patterns. Thanks to the GM/OnStar partnership, the Pecan Street project now includes the Chevy Volt for gaining critical real-life usage data for the use and charging of extended-range electric vehicles. Chevrolet made 100 Volts available for priority purchase to residents participating in the project last September.

Among the grid-relieving solutions developed by OnStar are charging with renewable energy, energy demand response, time-of-use-rates, and home energy management. The partnership with Pecan Street is enabling OnStar to test these smart grid services in realistic, everyday scenarios. Additional partner companies like Sony, Whirlpool, Oncor, and Intel are also providing residents with smart grid and clean energy products and services, such as photovoltaic panels for generating power, batteries to store energy, and smart grid tools to help make everything work in unison.

The final goal of the project is to help consumers make the best possible use of energy for daily life, and specifically for charging their plug-in hybrids and other electric vehicles. The hope is that research resulting from the project will help speed up the innovation cycle around smart grid and consumer electronics technology. This is important since electric vehicles add significantly to a home’s energy profile. Understanding how, and when, consumers use their electric vehicles and keep them charged is critical information.