RAC agrees further EV charger rollout to van fleet

Date: Wednesday, June 2, 2021 | Author: Sean Keywood

Dozens more RAC patrol vans are to be fitted with EV chargers in the coming months, after the breakdown organisation signed an exclusivity agreement with the maker of its EV Boost technology.

The RAC worked with engineering company Original ADS to design and develop the van-mounted charger, designed to give EVs with flat batteries enough power to get to the nearest working public charger or home, without needing a flatbed truck recovery.

EV Boost was initially launched as a 3.5kW charger in 2019, but there’s now a new 5kW version, and a further 7.5kW charger is in development.

Under the new deal, the RAC plans to have 200 vans equipped with chargers by the end of this year, and a further 120 next year.

The chargers are powered by a generator driven by the van’s engine, weigh 35kg, and are the size of a shoe box, meaning they only take up a small amount of space in the van.

RAC chief operations director James Knight said: “We were very proud to be the first breakdown company to launch a solution at scale to help out-of-charge EV drivers, and we’re even more delighted to be the only roadside assistance company in the UK that can use this pioneering British-designed technology.

“It means within minutes of arriving with one of our EV customers, our expert patrols can plug in and get the car topped up enough to be driven a short distance home or to a nearby chargepoint. We believe it’s faster, more efficient and better for the planet than having to send a big flatbed recovery vehicle or a van full of batteries.”

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