A British Startup Will Provide EV Charging on the Go
Hannah DeWitt
· 3 min read
Though concern regarding
range
is a strong deterring factor for potential electric vehicle
(EV) buyers, its effect on EV sales is slowly lessening. As charging stations become more widespread and the need to charge becomes less frequent, the hope is that EV sales will increase along with the U.S.’s infrastructure.Something that will likely help the UK’s EV market is a new portable charging device released by ZipCharge called the Go. According to
Engadget
, once they’re up for sale, the ZipCharge Go could help tip the scales in favor of EVs.
The ZipCharge Go will make it easy to charge EVs anywhere
The company that came up with the EV powerbank, called ZipCharge, is a recently founded tech startup based in the UK. They presented their concept for the Go at the COP26
climate change
summit currently happening in Glasgow.The Go charger is fashioned after a suitcase, with wheels and a retractable handle, and will weigh close to 50 pounds. Though that’s not necessarily light, its portable nature and maneuverability mean you can keep it in your car, making charging highly accessible.
The company plans to release 4 kWh and 8 kWh versions. Theoretically, it will work best for those who can’t install home charging units that let them charge their vehicles overnight. People can also use it to top up while driving around or as an emergency source of power, making EV charging on the go fast and simple.
How does the Go work?
The ZipCharge Go is capable of providing up to 20 miles of range with 30 minutes of charging and should be able to achieve a full charge in 30 minutes to an hour. An upcoming high-capacity model could potentially deliver 40 miles in 30 minutes, though that may not happen soon. This isn’t an astounding number, but it should at least make owning and charging an EV a bit less precarious.
The powerbank will be compatible with any type of plug-in hybrid with a Type 2 outlet. To view the charge’s progress and even schedule upcoming charges, ZipCharge has an app that gives you control over the Go.
When will the Go be available for purchase?
Deliveries for the Go won’t begin for a while—no earlier than late next year. There’s no word yet on the pricing, though it's rumored to be around the cost of a permanent charging port.
However, ZipCharge has stated that they will be available for lease for approximately $67 a month.
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