Once we’ve rounded the corner and entered the electric car era, many wonder if a chronic lack of charging stations will cause no small amount of mayhem among drivers. The solution? The one Mitsubishi has come up with is somewhere along the lines of portable.
Straight from the Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories in Massachusetts is a new report that states the need for central operations centres and portable charging stations. This means the fuel goes to you instead of a vain search for a station. In their own words:
“To determine where the stations are needed, in-car sensors would monitor the level of charge in the battery and periodically report this to a central operations centre, which would flag areas where most cars run low on juice. The stations can then be deployed wherever the low-charge ‘hotspots’ are at that time.”
No pictures or concept sketches, just words for now. To make sure everyone gets their cars juiced, the same report figures that “Just five mobile stations would be needed to cover 100 electric cars on a 100-kilometre stretch of highway.”
The Practicality of Portable Charging Stations
While it’s a practical idea, does anyone want to contemplate the kind of investment on infrastructure needed for such a scheme to work? The logistics of deploying portable charging stations are complex. These stations would need to be robust, weather-resistant, and capable of delivering a quick charge to multiple vehicles simultaneously. Additionally, the central operations centre would require sophisticated software to analyze data from in-car sensors and efficiently dispatch charging units to the right locations.
Moreover, the concept of portable charging stations raises questions about their power sources. Would these stations be battery-powered themselves, or would they need to be connected to the grid? If they are battery-powered, how often would they need to be recharged, and where would this take place? If connected to the grid, how would they be transported and set up in remote locations?
Potential Benefits and Challenges
Despite these challenges, the potential benefits of portable charging stations are significant. They could provide a flexible and scalable solution to the problem of charging infrastructure, especially in areas where building permanent stations is not feasible. For instance, rural areas, event venues, and temporary construction sites could greatly benefit from such a system. Additionally, portable stations could serve as a stopgap measure while more permanent infrastructure is being developed.
Another advantage is the potential for reduced range anxiety among electric vehicle (EV) drivers. Knowing that a charging station can come to them if needed could make EVs more appealing to a broader audience. This could accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles, contributing to reduced greenhouse gas emissions and a cleaner environment.
However, the implementation of portable charging stations would require significant investment and coordination. Governments, private companies, and utility providers would need to collaborate to develop the necessary technology and infrastructure. There would also be regulatory hurdles to overcome, such as ensuring the safety and reliability of the portable units.
In conclusion, while the idea of portable charging stations is promising, it is not without its challenges. The concept represents a forward-thinking approach to addressing the limitations of current charging infrastructure, but it will require substantial effort and investment to become a reality. As the electric vehicle market continues to grow, innovative solutions like this will be essential to meet the increasing demand for convenient and reliable charging options.
Via Gizmodo
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