ELECTRIC VEHICLE (EV) CHARGE UNIT RESERVATIONS

1 . A computer implemented method for managing charge availability of a charge unit (CU) to obtain charge for a battery of an electric vehicle (EV), the CU including a computer for processing at least part of the method and for communicating with a server over a network, comprising:

receiving, by the server, status information from the computer of the CU;

sending to the computer of the CU, by the server, instructions to make a reservation for the CU, the reservation being for a user account that has requested a desire to charge the battery of the electric vehicle of the user at the CU;

sending, by the server, a confirmation for the reservation to the user account, the confirmation being viewable via a device having access to the server via the user account; and

sending, by the server, a data regarding a time of availability of the CU to the user account for the reservation, the computer of the CU is configured to display a visual indicator regarding the reservation of the CU.

2 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the server is configured to process the reservation to enable the computer of the CU to provide charge to the EV using the user account.

3 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the status information of the CU is used by the server to process the reservation.

4 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein a parking slot associated with the CU is indicated as pre-reserved for charging.

5 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the user account is configured to enable a prepay for charge in association with the reservation.

6 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the visual indicator is a display or a monitor that is associated with the CU.

7 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the visual indicator is color coded.

8 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein a mechanical barrier is used in association with the reservation to prevent access to a parking spot proximate to the CU.

9 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the computer of the CU and the server are part of a system, and the user account includes access privileges to the CU and other CUs that are part of the system, the user accounts are linked to electronic payment for debits of fees while using the CUs.

10 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising,

detecting, by the CU, when the CU is connected to an EV.

11 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the server is provided with communication to a plurality of CUs at one or more geo-locations;

wherein the reservation is made in response to the server receiving a request to find a CU, for the EV that is detected to be at a geographic location along a driving path of one or more CUs;

sending instructions, by the server, to the user account identifying a CU that will be available for the reservation based on the geographic location of the EV.

12 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising,

sending, by the server, to the user account, discounts available at one or more CUs, the discounts being offered proximate to the CUs, wherein the discounts available are viewable via the device of the user having access to the user account.

13 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the CU is along path of travel, the path of travel is associated with one or more discounts.

14 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the user account is provided with historical data for likely heavy use of CUs, the historical data providing an indication of a need for reservation of the CU.