Phoenix has landed its second large-scale electric-vehicle charging-station project as it continues to build a name for itself in an emerging market that many hope will lead the area out of the recession.

Green Fuel Technologies Inc. signed a deal last week with Campbell, California-based Coulomb Technologies Inc. to install a network of 4,000 charging stations throughout the Southwest by the end of 2010.

“The infrastructure has been the last frontier,” said Green Fuel CEO John Casey. “The time is now to develop that infrastructure.”

The first five charging ports will be installed by the end of January near shopping centers, restaurants, parking structures, and municipal buildings in metro Phoenix. Specific locations have not been finalized.

The birth of the first mass-produced electric car, General Motors’ EV1, dates back to the mid-1990s, but high costs, environmental apathy, and a lack of infrastructure doomed that movement, but the tide has turned with the emergence of eco-sensitivity, the promise of green jobs, improved technology, and billions of dollars earmarked for the electric- and hybrid-vehicle market.

Chevrolet will release its electric brand, the Volt, next year. Other U.S. auto­makers continue to move from oil dependence to alternative energy as they struggle to produce cars coveted by American consumers.

“We’re moving away from a mechanically driven company to one that will use electric-driven products,” said Chevrolet spokesman Dave Barthmuss. “We don’t want to be beholden to swings in gasoline prices.”

That transition will take some time, however, as 90 percent of Chevy vehicles still rely on oil for power. Furthermore, electric charging stations are scarce nationwide and are located primarily in the West. Phoenix has only one charging station, run by the city, and experts say it is outdated.

President Barack Obama wants 1 million electric vehicles on the road by 2015, though some industry experts say that is premature, contending that widespread adoption may be two decades away.

Barthmuss said there is no infrastructure in place yet to charge plug-in vehicles for daily commutes, but he believes that will change soon, and this partnership could lead the way.

The Coulomb technology will allow consumers to charge their electric vehicles at home or at work. Plug-in vehicles take electricity from a wall socket and store it in a battery. Some cars run solely on electricity, while others use electricity in combination with gasoline to extend mileage.

Electric vehicles typically require charging after 30 to 40 miles, but new vehicles, such as the Volt, are expected to have a range of 100 to 200 miles.

Charging units, which are about the size of pay phones and weigh 40 pounds, cost between $3,000 and $6,000 each. A 50 percent tax credit is offered through the Internal Revenue Service for buyers.

A monthly fee for using public stations will be about $50, and that includes unlimited charges at any location, Casey said. Single-use fees are being finalized.