The first mobile charging station concept has been unveiled.
Volkswagen has offered a first glimpse of the station, which it claims can be set up flexibly and independent of the power supply wherever it is needed – in public parking lots in the city, on company premises, or as a temporary charging point at large-scale events.
The mobile charging station works according to the principle of a power bank – which is familiar to many people with smartphones – but for electric vehicles instead. The charging capacity of up to 360 kWh enables up to 15 e-vehicles to be charged in stand-alone operation.
The charging process takes 17 minutes on average. If the energy content of the integrated battery set is less than 20%, the depleted charging station is simply exchanged for a charged one. If, however, it is permanently attached to the power supply with up to 30 kW via alternating current, the battery pack perpetually recharges itself. The charging station furthermore allows the temporary storage of sustainably generated power, such as solar or wind energy – and therefore CO2-neutral mobility.
The first mobile quick charging stations will be set up in the first half of 2019 in Volkswagen’s hometown as part of a pilot project, and as of 2020, the charging station will also be implemented in other cities and communities.
Thomas Schmall, chairman of the board of management of Volkswagen Group Components, said, ‘The mobile charging stations are a decisive step toward an efficient network of charging points. They can be set up anywhere as required – with or without connection to the power supply. This flexibility enables a completely new approach for the rapid expansion of the charging infrastructure. Cities can, for example, find out the most suitable places for a permanent charging point before making major investments in developing the network. In addition, it will be possible to set up a large number of charging stations temporarily – exactly when and where they are needed.’
