Concerns about finding an available charge point for an electric car could be a thing of the past with the introduction of a new portable device that drivers can carry with them to replenish the batteries of their EVs.
ZipCharge has today – at the COP26 climate summit – revealed its ‘game-changing’ portable charger, called the Go, that’s due to be available to customers from the end of next year.
It says the lightweight device will ‘bring the possibility of home charging to all’, including those without off-street parking.
ZipCharge says will be available on a monthly subscription basis of less than £50 a month or can be bought outright for a price that’s ‘comparable to the purchase and install of a home EV charger’ – which is around £800.
Portable charging for your electric vehicle: ZipCharge has unveiled its Go charger device, which is the size of a small suitcase and add up to 20 miles of range to an EV in 30 minutes
The provider says it is on track to deliver the first models to customers in the latter part of 2022.
It intends to follow a similar model to exercise powerhouse Peloton by offering ‘hardware-as-a-service’.
Chargers will be available on monthly subscription for £49 (€57).
Alternatively, it can be bought outright for ‘a price comparable to the fully installed cost of a level 2 home charge point, and significantly less than bi-directional home charge points currently on the market’.
This is likely to be around £800, though ZipCharge has yet to confirm exact pricing.
The devices will come with ‘basic’ software functionality, which will allow all users to plan and schedule charging.
Enhanced artificial intelligence software that can learn a users charging pattern will be available alongside insurance on subscription for a small monthly fee which, on average, will ‘save the user £15 to £20 a month’ compared to using a public charging network.
The provider says it is on track to deliver the portable charge points to customers from the fourth quarter of 2022
The power bank is the size of a compact suitcase and is lightweight enough to be stored in a car boot, or at home
Integrated 2G/4G connectivity enables users to remotely manage their Go charger via the ZipCharge mobile app to monitor the device and schedule charging events so the power pack is always ready for when they need it
The power bank is the size of a compact suitcase and is lightweight enough to be stored in a car boot, or at home.
It features a power panel with the controls and status displayed. And the front cover can also be personalised in a range of different colours and finishes, to match the exterior of the owner’s EV.
The bank’s battery can be charged at home or elsewhere using a standard domestic plug at a lower cost per kWh of electricity when compared to public charging.
Using the retractable handle, users then wheel it to wherever they’ve parked their EV and plug it into the charging port.
The port locks the charging cable in, securing the charger with the vehicle and is safe to use if it rains.
The power bank provides up to 20 miles of range from a half-hour charge, which the provider says is sufficient for the average daily commute in the UK.
The ZipCharge GO has been unveiled today at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow
The ZipCharge Go will be available on a monthly subscription for £49 (€57), says the provider
It says it can also be bought outright for ‘a price comparable to the fully installed cost of a level 2 home charge point – this is likely to be around £800, though ZipCharge has yet to confirm exact pricing
Jonathan Carrier, the company’s co-founder, said the COP26 summit was ‘the perfect place to introduce ZipCharge to the world’.
He added: ‘In light of the Government’s recent Net Zero Strategy: Build Back Greener manifesto announcement, never before has the automotive industry had cause to innovate so rapidly to help us reach a low carbon future.
‘One of the key barriers to wider uptake of EVs is charging anxiety; the inability to charge near or at home. ZipCharge removes that hurdle and in doing so, will democratise EV ownership.’
In the UK alone, around 40 per cent of homes – accounting for around 8.5 million properties – do not have designated off-street parking.
This is a particular issue for electric vehicle ownership, with those wanting to make the switch to a battery-powered model either having to come up with ingenious ways to charge their cars outside they houses and flats or rely on the public charging network.
The latter ultimately means premium prices for electricity when compared to what an EV owner could be paying when plugging in at home.
The front cover can also be personalised in a range of different colours, such as this Union Jack design
The bank’s battery can be charged at home or elsewhere using a standard domestic plug at a lower cost per kWh of electricity when compared to public charging
Using the retractable handle, users then wheel it to wherever they’ve parked their EV and plug it into the charging port
ZipCharge says the Go is ‘the first element of a global portable EV charging platform that combines hardware, software, machine learning and innovative ownership models to bring affordable, practical EV charging to more people than ever’.
It also ‘creates an intelligent energy management platform that provides flexibility and resilience for the national power grid’.
Inside the power bank are high energy density NMC lithium-ion battery cells and associated power electronics.
A bi-directional AC-DC inverter enables two-way charging from the grid to the unit, and from the unit to the grid, so the power bank can be used to store cheap off-peak energy and feed it back into the grid at peak times.
A bi-directional AC-DC inverter enables two-way charging from the grid to the unit, and from the unit to the grid, so the power bank can be used to store cheap off-peak energy and feed it back into the grid at peak times
The port locks the charging cable in, securing the charger with the vehicle and is safe to use if it rains
The power bank provides up to 20 miles of range from a half-hour charge, which the provider says is sufficient for the average daily commute in the UK
An integrated communications module supports smart charging, over-the-air updates, remote diagnostics, and together with geo-fencing and tracking technology provides enhanced security and peace-of-mind.
Integrated 2G/4G connectivity enables users to remotely manage their Go charger via the ZipCharge mobile app to monitor the device and schedule charging events so the power pack is always ready for when they need it.
Inbuilt AI will enable ZipCharge to learn the users’ charging patterns and make schedule recommendations to optimise charging at off peak times, saving money and reducing the load on the grid.
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