Photo courtesy of Magellan Development

Six of these new electric-vehicle charging units are now in the garage of Chicago's Aqua building. Each unit can charge four vehicles at once. The station at Aqua is the first public site in the Midwest.

Photo courtesy of Magellan Development

Magellan Development Group co-CEOs James Loewenberg (left) and Joel Carlins (center) join Chicago Mayor Richard Daley during introduction of the new electric-vehicle charging station at the Aqua.

The garage at the lower level of the 82-story mixed-use Aqua building in Chicago now features the Midwest’s first electric vehicle charging station open to the public.

The chargers in the Aqua’s garage are part of a network of stations being established by the newly-created Chicago firm Carbon Day Automotives.

The new infrastructure for electric vehicles is being created to based on several auto manufacturers’ plans to produce plug-in vehicles in one to three years.

The six-charger station at Aqua will serve up to 24 plug-in vehicles at a time, explains Scott Emalfarb, president of marketing and branding for Carbon Day Automotives.

“After Aqua, we plan to start with five to ten charging stations in the Chicago area and then expand our network to other municipalities, probably numbering in the hundreds as more plug-in vehicles reach the marketplace,” says Emalfarb.

Jim Loewenberg, co-CEO of Lakeshore East developer Magellan Development Group, who spearheaded the action, says that installing a charging station at Aqua is one step toward enhancing and improving the environment. Aqua is seeking green-building certification under the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.

Drivers of plug-in vehicles will be required to subscribe to a plan that will provide convenient and affordable access to all of the network’s public charging stations.

Emalfarb explains that subscribers can choose from a variety of plans, similar to the way cell phone and cable TV providers offer a range of options.

All plug-in stations are connected by computer network to provide drivers with best access to outlets. Drivers can access locations based on the navigation system in their vehicles, computers, telephones or even Blackberrys.

Loewenberg explains that this system not only identifies the closest stations but tells subscribers which ones are idle and which are occupied. Locating the charging stations in a public garage will ensure that they will be available to the public at all times.

Aqua’s six plug-in outlets will serve 24 parking bays.