[Paul]

A new 5 kW portable charging unit that can "deliver around 15 miles of range to a stricken electric vehicle in less than half an hour" is bring trialled by the RAC in the Birmingham area.

RAC spokesman Tim Hartles 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.

http://fleetworld.co.uk/news/2014/Apr/RAC-goes-live-with-first-mobile-electric-vehicle-charging-unit/0434014096

 

[jontracey]

wonder if the likes of Nissan will remove the free recovery option in place of this

 

[Paul]

Tough one as if your on a motorway, you may be more than 15 miles from your next stop/charger if one is out of order.

 

[Edd Beesley]

Good idea. Is it a battery in a box, or a generator...?

 

[jontracey]

Tough one as if your on a motorway, you may be more than 15 miles from your next stop/charger if one is out of order.

I am pretty sure the RAC would not cut you off and say "only 15 miles" and your next charge was 18 away

I would imagine it can do 15 miles in 30 mins and thats probably the standard call out period before they would summon recovery truck

 

[Kevin Sharpe]

Good idea. Is it a battery in a box, or a generator...?

It's a 5kWh battery so once depleted it will need a trip to a Charging Station

Note also that it's using AC so will only charge a Leaf at 3-6kW...

 

[Mark J Constable]

More specs here. CS have now been bought by Chargemaster, of course...

http://www.charging-solutions.com/products/ev-rescue.aspx

 

[PaulMorris]

More specs here. CS have now been bought by Chargemaster, of course...

http://www.charging-solutions.com/products/ev-rescue.aspx

Oh dear, I wonder how much they're fleecing the RAC for. If it's more than £2000 they've been had.
http://www.hsstoolshop.co.uk/honda-ec5000-50kva-open-frame-generator-3815-p.asp
£900 for a 5kW Gen set, commando socket, portable EVSE. Splash of petrol. Unlimited charging & multiple uses.

 

[Steve Thayne]

Charging Solutions are pretty local to me so were my first port of call for my home charging unit. Unfortunately they wanted to charge some hundreds for the 16 a which others give for free so I went to Podpoint instead (who engaged local contractors anyway, a first for them as the local guys normally do solar pv.

My understanding from press reports is that the people who started Charging Solutions have a long history in the ice world. Just my observation but those with a lot owed to the ice world....guy negre with his air car for example....seem to promise much but deliver little to my hope for sustainable transport.

Nissan perhaps being the exception. But an exception that has passion and risk taking from the top behind it.

In general, my hopes for ev's are with people like elon musk. The Charging Solutions idea perhaps has it's place. My understanding is that it can rapid charge a leaf....so charge dc chademo. But I suspect the idea could be implemented more cheaply and effectively. Still, until someone else does...