Volkswagen Develops Ultra-fast Portable Charging Station

Volkswagen has revealed its plans for network of portable, independently powered charging points which can be used for electric vehicles. The charging points will be trialled in Germany next year.

The automotive manufacturer has developed a new mobile charging station that has the capacity to charge up to 15 EVs when operating separately from mains electricity systems. According to Volkswagen, when the charging station is in this mode, it will take only 17 minutes on average to charge an EV up to roughly 28kWh. This is about 80 percent of the capacity of the current e-Golf hatchback.

The charging station’s 360kWh battery unit is inspired by that Volkswagen’s MEB electric vehicle platform. The depleted batteries which are removed from the company’s I.D. models that comes to be charged can be reconditioned and used as a source of power supply for other EVs, including electric bikes.

The unit’s power pack can be used to charge up to 15 EVs and at any one time, up to four vehicles can use the unit with a combination of AC and DC outlets.

When it is connected to a permanent standard grid connection, the charging station’s power unit will recharge itself constantly through an alternating current which will reduce the strain on the power supply during peak periods.

VW will first test the charging stations by installing them in its home city, Wolfsburg, as part of a trial that will begin in the first half of 2019. The technology will beome available in other towns and cities from 2020.

Thomas Schmall, chairman of the board of management at Volkswagen Group Components said that the new charging station can facilitate more widespread EV ownership, thanks to its portability and capacity for independence. Cities can use the charging station to explore the most suitable places for a permanent charging point before they spend a lot of funds on developing the network.

The mobile charging station will also have the capacity to temporarily store electricity generated by solar panels or wind turbines, thus facilitating CO2-neutral charging of EVs.

Users can locate the nearest charging station through an app or website, with potential for units to be installed in company car parks or at large-scale events such as festivals and exhibitions.