L-Charge tests mobile, off-grid fast charging stations

The British charger manufacturer L-Charge has started what it says is an extensive test run of a mobile fast-charging service for electric vehicles in Europe.

The special feature of the charging stations is that they are off-grid using LNG, hydrogen or a mixture of both to generate the electricity for charging on site. The L-Charge stations can provide charging power of up to 130 kW.

The L-Charge stations come in three formats: fixed, mobile and floating. The fixed station can be installed at any location, including motorway services, traditional petrol stations, retail parks, sports venues and public charging hubs. The mobile version is housed in a truck that can travel around the city, charging electric vehicles upon demand. The floating station is exactly that: floating. This marine solution is a fully autonomous boat equipped with an onboard power generating engine that can be used to charge maritime vessels en route or at harbours and marinas.

The service will be tested in Frankfurt until 20 August. After that, trials are to follow in the German cities of Düsseldorf and Stuttgart. According to L-Charge, the aim is to measure demand in cities with a lack of charging infrastructure or in cities threatened by a weak energy supply.

Another goal of the tour is to promote the switch to electric vehicles and to check to what extent the results of surveys conducted before the tour correlate with actual demand. A survey conducted by L-Charge reportedly found that Paris, Tallinn and Warsaw topped the list of cities most inconvenient for electric car owners and most affected by rising energy prices. L-Charge has already successfully tested its solution in Tallinn (Estonia), Warsaw (Poland) and Riga (Latvia), although the study’s results were not disclosed.

The L-Charge team is currently testing the demand for mobile charging stations in Frankfurt am Main. Düsseldorf and Stuttgart are to follow as further German cities. Afterwards, the company is planning a roadshow throughout Europe. L-Charge will also soon launch its first commercial network operation in London.

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