Portable car chargers for electric cars are proving themselves essential to provide emergency power to EVs unable to reach a static charging station before they run out of charge. This was the case yet again last week when a business trip becomes problematic when Kia Soul driver becomes stranded at a hotel.
Imagine you are on a business trip and after a long and tiring journey you arrive at your hotel, plug your EV into the hotel charge unit ready for another journey tomorrow but the charging point fails. This inconvenience became a reality for one Kia Soul driver whose best solution was to phone the RAC for assistance.
Upon the patrol’s arrival the exhausted RAC customer received a quick and simple 30-minute charge from our Charge Pod system which provides companies with onboard portable car chargers for electric cars designed to deliver an emergency power boost to flat or severely charge depleted EVs. This solution enabled the EV driver to reach another static charging point nearby with little inconvenience or hassle. Relived at the stress-free solution, the businessman was able to get back to the hotel and continue his evening as planned promptly. Commenting on how he was dreading the alternatives to Charge Pod, the businessman explained he was…
“…concerned that I would have to wait for a flatbed recovery vehicle to transport myself and the car to another charging station, I’m so glad the RAC have this great alternative, it made my evening considerably easier than I initially thought it would be”.
Further information:
For more information about the innovative Charge Pod system, click here.
It was great to see our Charge Pod system in action during the live demonstration conducted by the RAC on the fantastic The EV Cafe webinar on Wednesday.
The EV Charge Pod is a mobile electrical boost system developed to provide flat or severely depleted electric vehicles with a roadside power boost so they can be driven to the nearest static charging point rather than being picked up and recovered on a flatbed truck. Charge Pod enables you to provide the same “out of fuel” service as you would to traditional internal combustion engine vehicles to the growing EV market.
Due to the system being lightweight, compact and offering a 100% duty cycle of power, Charge Pod is extremely popular with companies who support (i.e., vehicle rescue and roadside assistance companies), transportation companies, and/or companies with storage facilities for electric vehicles (such as docks).
It was great to see the EV Cafe discussing this pioneering technology.
Having started their journey in Milton Keynes, an RAC patrol van equipped with the Charge Pod solution along with our team, joined the carwow Youtube video crew at Wetherby service station and followed the team for the remainder of their journey.
The vehicle managed to reach Bedale in North Yorkshire (c.190 miles) before the battery run out of charge, Charge Pod then gave the vehicle a boost, so it was able to reach a charging station. However, a problem occurred when the car reached the static charging point.
The charging station failed to recognise the power level that the vehicle could accept and as a result, it proceeded to charge the vehicle considerably slower than the said capability of the ID 3.
Coincidentally, when we arrived at Wetherby service station, we happen to spot an MG ZS being driven off a flatbed recovery truck accompanied by a very fed up EV user as we arrived. After speaking to the driver, he informed us that when he reached a charging station on his journey, it failed to operate. He then did not have enough charge to reach an alternative charger. As the MG driver had roadside assistance included in his vehicle warranty, he was very frustrated that he had to endure a sub-standard and inconvenient solution to his problem when Charge Pod is clearly more suitable for the circumstances.
With the uncertainty of the reliability of the current charging infrastructure, the importance for roadside assistance companies to provide a convenient and reliable solution for the problem of flat or severely depleted EVs is crucial as people begin making the switch to electric vehicles.
After buying a brand new electric car and wanting to head off on a family outing with a full vehicle, the EV owner consulted a charging map app to get to the nearest static charging station so they could charge the car before setting off on their journey. However, after reaching two static charging stations, neither were operational.
With only 1% battery charge remaining, the family were unable to reach a functioning charge point, so they called the RAC for assistance.
After receiving a boost from Charge Pod, the vehicle had 5% charge so the family were able to get to a fast electric car charging station before heading out on their journey and were very relieved that the RAC were able to offer a stress-free solution. Charge Pod allowed for social distancing, saved the need for the unnecessary costs and emissions that a flatbed recovery truck would have caused, and was a far more suitable for the circumstances of this situation.
Further Information:
Charge Pod has become a crucial product for the RAC which will only become more important as more EVs come on to our roads, which is becoming an increasingly prevalent problem. To read more real life examples of EVs running out of charge, click here.
To find out more about the alternative solutions to Charge Pod and why Charge Pod is the most practical solution to the problem of flat or severely charge depleted EVs, click here.
After recently purchasing a Nissan LEAF, this EV user thought he had more than enough mileage to reach the nearest static EV charging stations.
However, when the LEAF driver reached the destination, there was no charging point in sight, so he had no choice but to carry on and drive to another. Becoming increasingly concerned about running out of charge and being left stranded, the driver just managed to reach the second charging station, but, as fortune had it, there was no charge lead. Being left wondering how he was going to get to other local EV charging stations, he phoned the RAC for assistance.
The RAC patrol arrived and gave the Nissan a boost from the Charge Pod system, which provided the EV with a 10-mile range. Still concerned about being unable to reach a functioning static charging station in case of any further problems, the RAC patrol escorted the driver to the nearest charging point. Luckily, this charging station was fully equipped enabling this EV user to successfully charge his car without any further assistance.
Issues with the charging infrastructure have become a frequent issue for EV drivers. There has therefore, been a rise in the number of EV drivers running out charge before they have been able to reach a fully functioning charge point. To read more examples of EV drivers running out of charge, click here.
Further information:
More information about our Charge Pod system can be found here.
Stuck in Southwark: Portable Electric Car Charger, Charge Pod, Saves the Day!
After renting a VW e-Golf, this EV user began making her way back to the rental car depot in Southwark when the vehicle came to a stop because the battery was flat.
Being 12 miles away from her destination, she rang the rental car company for assistance. Needing the vehicle back at the depot promptly, the hire car company called on the RAC for the most efficient and easiest solution available… Charge Pod.
After plugging the car into Charge Pod, the customer was able to drive back to the depot and return the car with very little delay thanks to this pioneering mobile electric car charger.
“It works really well, it’s the perfect solution to flat EVs” – RAC Patrol
Further information:
More information about our Charge Pod system can be found here.
It was great to see our Charge Pod system in action during the live demonstration conducted by the RAC on the fantastic The EV Cafe webinar on Wednesday.
