Until now, the EV charging station sector has been dominated by high-profile start-ups like Coulomb Technologies and Better Place. Toyota, determined not be left out of what promises to be a booming business, has decided to build charging stations of its own. And in what appears to be an attempt to one-up its competitors, Toyota wants its stations to be solar-powered.

Last fall, Whirlpool (NYSE: WHR) announced a new refrigerator meant to serve as a hub for personal and home electronics called CentralPark. The top of its freezer door boasts a power outlet, meant to be coupled with aftermarket devices that could attach to the fridge and recharge or dock devices. To date, there haven’t been many partners that have agreed to produce the docks, but Whirlpool has just received its biggest boon yet: an agreement with iGo, the charging-device maker owned by Mobility Electronics (NASDAQ: MOBE). Read More »