Three-Year Partnership between Legrand/Pass & Seymour and Lear Corporation Leads to Groundbreaking EV Charging Solutions
Level 1 and Level 2 Electric Vehicle Chargers Available for Sale this Month
SYRACUSE, N.Y., Oct. 17, 2011 - Legrand, the world specialist in products and systems for electrical installations and information networks, is pleased to announce updates regarding a strategic agreement with Lear Corporation, a global leader in automotive electrical power management systems. In North America, Legrand/Pass & Seymour partnered with Lear Corporation to lay the foundation for electric vehicle charging standards and design innovative components for electric vehicles like the Chevrolet Volt.
For three years, the partnership between these companies focused on research, testing and development, and some of the SAE and UL standards for today's electric vehicles evolved from it. Over the past year, Legrand and Lear expanded their relationship to design and bring innovative electric vehicle charging solutions to the marketplace.
"This is a very natural partnership, because both companies have been investing in electric vehicle charging for years even though the North American market is just starting to gain momentum," said Pat Davin, Vice President and General Manager at Legrand/Pass & Seymour. "Lear is one of the earliest adopters, producing components for the Chevy Volt, and Legrand is a founding member of the European EV Plug Alliance, a non-profit organization established to unify charging standards across the continent. We've been creating innovative electrical solutions for well over a century, and our leadership in the EV charging market is another example of how our product developments are making life better."
Legrand and Lear are in the process of producing electric vehicle chargers for residential and light commercial applications, which will become available this month. The charging stations are compatible with all plug-in electric vehicles.
Choices include the Level 1 12A/120V charger, and the Level 2 16A/240V charger. The Level 1 portable charger can be taken on the road, and it's weatherproof for indoor or outdoor use. It plugs into a standard 15A or 20A receptacle and includes built-in ground fault protection with leakage current compensation to reduce nuisance tripping.
Level 2 chargers are hard-wired to a 20A circuit and charge vehicles faster - approximately three to six hours. Level 2 Chargers are also weatherproof rated and have built-in ground fault protection.
For more information about the new electrical vehicle chargers, contact your Legrand/Pass & Seymour representative or visit www.legrand.us.
About Lear Corporation
Lear Corporation is one of the world's leading suppliers of automotive seating and electrical power management systems. The Company's world-class products are designed, engineered and manufactured by a diverse team of approximately 93,000 employees located in 35 countries. Lear's headquarters are in Southfield, Michigan, and Lear is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol (LEA). Further information about Lear is available www.lear.com.
About Legrand
Legrand is the global specialist in electrical and digital building infrastructures. Its comprehensive offering of solutions for use in commercial, industrial and residential markets makes it a benchmark for customers worldwide. Named to Forbes'2011 list of the 100 Most Innovative Companies, Legrand believes innovation for a steady flow of new products with high added value is a prime vector for growth. Legrand reported sales of $5.7 billion in 2010. Legrand has a strong presence in the North American market, with a portfolio of well-known product lines that include Cablofil, Electrorack, On-Q, Ortronics, Pass & Seymour, Vantage, Watt Stopper and Wiremold. The company is listed on NYSE Euronext and is a component stock of indexes including the SBF120, FTSE4Good, MSCI World, ASPI. In 2010, Legrand was added to the European DJSI as well (ISIN code FR0010307819). www.legrand.us
SOURCE Legrand/Pass & Seymour
CONTACT: Kiran Laxman, Kiran.Laxman@legrand.us, +1-315-468-8097
Web Site: www.legrand.us
