MAIDEN: First-ever EV charging unit
The RAC have revealed their first-ever mobile electric vehicle charging system, EVRESCUE.
Fitted in a standard RAC diesel Volkswagen Transporter van, the portable fast-charging 5kW unit can deliver around 15miles of range to a stricken EV in less than 30minutes.
Equivalent to a ‘gallon of electricity’, the RAC believe the unit should be sufficient to get the driver safely on their way home or to the nearest charging point.
The unit, which is capable of completely recharging an electric vehicle’s battery in less than four hours, is going into service in the Birmingham area.
“As well as the obvious cost savings this new solution brings, it enables fleets and businesses to make EV choices when purchasing.”
Tim Hartles, RAC
Tim Hartles, Spokesman at the RAC, said: “As the electric vehicle market develops, the need for a mobile transportable energy source is becoming more important, not only to reduce ‘range anxiety’, but also to provide temporary cost-effective power for electric cars.
“Whether it’s at the side of a road in an emergency, or in a car showroom, portable power that is flexible, available and mobile is very much in demand so we wanted to invest in the required technology to make sure the RAC was completely ready to meet this need.
“By adding an EVRESCUE unit to a fully-equipped RAC van, a stranded electric vehicle will no longer require recovery after running out of energy as we will simply be able to give the vehicle a quick charge to get it going again.
“As well as the obvious cost savings this new solution brings, it enables fleets and businesses to make EV choices when purchasing.
“If this pilot scheme is successful we will look to add EVRESCUE charging systems to more patrol vehicles in busy urban areas just as we have done with our ten new mobile tyre-fitting vans which have been introduced to cope with the ever-increasing ‘puncture no spare’ issue.
“To that end we are in discussions with other progressive local authorities around the UK – including Scotland – to extend the reach of the trial.”
