UPDATED Thursday, June 25, 2009 --- 3:40 p.m.

Press Release:

MADISON, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- As part of several technology demonstration projects under study, Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) has purchased six Coulomb Technologies electric vehicle charging stations from Carbon Day Automotive, Chicago, Ill. Electric cars and trucks charged at the stations will have their emissions offset through renewable energy. The project is the first of its kind in the United States.

The vehicle charging network will provide users with options that extend the range and use of their electric vehicles. The driving range for an electric-powered vehicle can be about 40 miles. Currently, owners have to recharge their car or truck at home or at prearranged locations. Only a handful of public vehicle charging systems are in place throughout the world.

MGE plans to install the first charging unit this summer and have the network up and operating by early next year.

"MGE's forward-thinking efforts ensure the Madison area will have the infrastructure to support electric vehicles," stated Scott Emalfarb, a principal in Carbon Day Automotive.

Last year, MGE purchased one of the state's first plug-in hybrid cars. This summer, the company will install vehicle-to-grid technology in a new Ford Escape plug-in hybrid, making it "Smart Grid" ready. This technology allows the vehicle to recharge at low power demand times and can also be discharged to supply the grid with power during peak power demand hours.

"This demonstration project will show us how use of plug-in vehicles could eventually affect operations of the electric grid and power supply planning," said Lynn Hobbie, MGE senior vice president.

Carbon Day Automotive is a division of Carbon Day, an organization dedicated to increasing environmental awareness by encouraging people to play a part in saving the planet.

Coulomb Technologies applies networking technology to the challenge of charging electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids in order to fuel the electric transportation industry. Coulomb's ChargePoint(SM) Network addresses the needs of drivers, utilities, governments and parking-space owners.

MGE generates and distributes electricity to 137,000 customers in Dane County, Wis., and purchases and distributes natural gas to 141,000 customers in seven south-central and western Wisconsin counties. MGE's parent company is MGE Energy (Nasdaq: MGEE). The company's roots in the Madison area date back more than 150 years.

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POSTED Thursday, June 25, 2009 --- 3:10 p.m.

Madison Gas and Electric is going to develop a network of public electric vehicle charging stations around Madison.

It will be the first network of its type in the United States.

The exact locations haven't been determined yet, but at least one will be downtown.

Additionally, the electricity used at these charging stations will come from wind energy which offsets all the emissions normally produced when driving.

"If you think about somebody buying an electric vehicle, they charge it at home, they might charge it at work. says Steve Kraus with MG&E. "but if they don't have a situation at work where they can plug it in, say they're in a large parking lot, they need a place to recharge it,"

The first station is set to be in place by the end of the summer, with the rest of them in place by the end of the year. Next year most of the major auto manufacturers will be introducing electric vehicles to the market, some are in Madison now.