Australia‘s National Roads and Motorists’ Association (NRMA) has equipped two of its patrol vehicles with 4.8kWh battery packs. The new Mobile EV Chargers are aimed to aid members who drive electric vehicles and have run out of charge on the road.
“We want to provide outstanding service to our Members no matter what car they drive. We know one of the biggest deterrents for those looking to purchase an electric vehicle is range anxiety – will they run out of charge far from charging facilities.”
NRMA
NRMA’s new Mobile EV Chargers
NRMA claims that 1km of charge will be available every two minutes from the 4.8kWh li-ion battery packs. That said, an EV will have 5 km of range to travel to the closest charging station after only 10 minutes of charging.
The Mobile EV Chargers will first launch in Sydney and Canberra, given that these areas have the most operating EVs. Nonetheless, it is expected to reach other areas in NSW, depending on the EV popularity and call rates.
“We are seeing more and more EV drivers call us for assistance so it’s clear the need for this kind of support is increasing.”
Tim Bryant, a roadside assistant driver
In retrospect, NRMA needed to tow the stranded EV to the nearest charging station. Compared to the newly introduced Mobile EV Chargers, it was a very inconvenient approach.
Remarkably, this innovative solution will address drivers’ range anxiety with driving their EVs. It will also offer assurance for those planning to buy EVs that such solutions will be available when the charging infrastructure fails to service them.
NRMA strives to expand its charging network in Australia
The federal and state governments aid Australia’s largest Member organization in expanding its network of fast-charging stations in the country. In fact, it reported a YoY usage growth of 500% in its 13 charging stations in Northern NSW.
Currently, 50 facilities are part of the NRMA network throughout NSW. It includes the following areas: Hume, Newell, Sturt, Oxley, Great Barrier, Mitchell, Pacific, Olympic, and Great Western Highways.
The organization has also announced plans to conduct EV Drive Days to guide the community in buying and operating EVs.
Recent reports indicate that many public fast charging stations in the state are malfunctioning. That said, the demand for this mobile emergency charging service will undoubtedly increase, given the 65% increase in EV sales in Australia in 2022 over 2021.
