“From an emergency top-up to a complete roadside rescue, the RAC seems to have all basis covered should my car run out of charge.” – Alexis Conran, TV presenter (Channel 5, Should I Buy an Electric Car?’).
On Channel 5’s ‘Should I Buy an Electric Car?’, TV presenter Alexis Conran investigates the practicalities of owning and running an electric vehicle as Britain gears up to make the switch to electric. By asking crucial questions around the concerns, costs and misconceptions surrounding EVs, Conran highlighted the biggest hinderance to the uptake of electric vehicles – the electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
Although the ban of new petrol and diesel engine vehicles is rapidly approaching, only 2% of 39 million cars in the UK are electric. Recent surveys suggest most drivers are worried about high prices and problems with the charging infrastructure. For example, 69% of drivers feel that there aren’t enough charging points in the UK. Furthermore, the majority of EV drivers have experienced problems with the charging infrastructure for a number of reasons. Firstly, public charging stations can be incredibly confusing. For some charging points you need to download apps, or sign in online with an account. Therefore, it is essential to have a smart phone in order to charge at some stations. This can be problematic for those who do not have a smart phone or have a problem with their phone such as poor signal, or no mobile data.
Considering the problems EV drivers are faced with on a day-to-day basis, Conran asked the critical question “what happens if I run out of charge?”. To answer this question, Conran took a visit to RAC Headquarters to see how they are addressing this increasingly prevalent problem.
As explained by Conran and James Gibson from the RAC, when an electric vehicle runs out of charge, the parking brake automatically activates itself, so you can’t easily put the vehicle into neutral to push or tow it. In certain situations, towing with four wheels off the ground is just not an option as it can be exceptionally difficult to move the EV; especially if a driver were to find themselves in a tight parking space, for example. By giving the EV a power boost, it allows the parking brake to be unlocked but also negates the problem of space.
Charge Pod is a super lightweight and compact EV power boost system which offers 100% duty cycle, so it will never run out of charge and will always be ready and available for use. This means Charge Pod can provide an EV with as much charge as is needed to simply unlock the parking brake (should a complete roadside recovery be necessary) or provide the EV with enough charge so it to be driven to the nearest static charging station.
Further information:
To see the full Channel 5 documentary ‘Should I Buy an Electric Car?’, click here: My5 – Should I Buy an Electric Car? – Season 2021 – Episode 1 / 2021 (channel5.com)
To learn more about the Charge Pod system, click here: Charge Pod: The Lightweight and Compact Mobile EV Charger (originalads.co.uk)
To see other events and TV appearances Charge Pod has featured in, click here: Events and TV appearances – Original ADS
To read more of the latest news about Charge Pod and Original ADS, click here: Media – Original ADS
For further information about RAC roadside assistance for EV’s, click here: Electric Car Breakdown Cover | #1 For EV Breakdown | RAC