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RAC and Original ADS sign exclusivity deal over pioneering
EV charging units for use in breakdown van
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One-in-five RAC patrol vans to have emergency electric
charging capability by end of 2022
The RAC has further cemented its position as the number-one for
EV breakdowns by signing an exclusivity agreement with the
British manufacturer of its pioneering EV Boost technology – the
modern-day equivalent of a fuel can for electric cars.
The RAC worked with specialist engineering company Original ADS to design and
develop the lightweight and compact van-mounted charger capable
of getting ‘flat’ EVs to the nearest working chargepoint or home
rather than having to be picked up and recovered on a flatbed
truck.
The deal, which means the RAC is now the only breakdown company
in the UK able to assist customers with this technology, will see
dozens more RAC patrol vans fitted with EV Boost units in the
coming months, giving more drivers the confidence to make the
switch to electric.
RAC EV Boost was launched as
a 3.5kW charger in April 2019. Now with two years of use in the
field, the RAC and Original ADS have succeeded in producing a new
5kW unit capable of faster charging, speeding up the time it
takes to revive a flat – or seriously depleted – EV at the
roadside. Development work is also underway to perfect the 7.5kW
charger which the RAC and Original ADS believe will offer the
best possible balance of cost, efficiency and charging time at
the roadside. As a result of the exclusivity agreement the RAC
plans to have 200 vans equipped to boost out-of-charge EVs by the
end of 2021, with a further 120 coming online in 2022 – meaning
one in every five RAC patrols vans will be able to give electric
vehicles an emergency roadside boost.
Powered by a generator driven by the van’s engine and weighing
just 35kg, RAC EV Boost is a significant development in EV
breakdown technology as it avoids the need to use bulky, heavy
and impractical portable batteries. At the size of a shoe box, EV
Boost only takes up a small amount of space in a standard RAC van
which is equipped with the 500 parts and tools needed for patrols
to fix four out of five breakdowns they attend.
RAC chief operations director James Knight said: “We were very
proud to be the first breakdown company to launch a solution at
scale to help out-of-charge EV drivers, and we’re even more
delighted to be the only roadside assistance company in the UK
that can use this pioneering British-designed technology.
“It means within minutes of arriving with one of our EV
customers, our expert patrols can plug in and get the car topped
up enough to be driven a short distance home or to a nearby
chargepoint. We believe it’s faster, more efficient and better
for the planet than having to send a big flatbed recovery vehicle
or a van full of batteries.
“And, if a customer breaks down in an EV for another reason our
patrols have more unique equipment in their vans to help. If they
can’t fix the fault there and then, they can tow it themselves
with our All-Wheels-Up recovery system meaning there’s no need to
wait for a tow truck. It’s like having a flatbed in the back of
an RAC van.
“These two breakthrough RAC innovations mean we’re
ideally placed to be able to help any EV driver, whatever the
problem, just at the time the electric car market begins to
accelerate at an unprecedented pace. We believe these roadside
capabilities will go a long way towards reassuring drivers who
are keen to ‘go electric’ that that we’ve got them covered should
they run out of charge or be unlucky enough to reach an
out-of-order charge point. They also demonstrate to our car
manufacturer partners and fleet operators just how serious the
RAC is about supporting the switch to an all-electric future.”
Original ADS commercial director Lauren Saxton said: “We’re very
pleased to have had the opportunity to work with the RAC on
developing a truly world-leading lightweight and compact charging
unit for flat or severely depleted electric vehicles. We have
forged a brilliantly collaborative partnership which we hope will
provide vital stimulation to the take-up of EVs, as knowing help
is easily at hand in the event of running out of charge will
bring important peace of mind to drivers to make the switch to
electric. In short, we believe it will help to ensure ‘range
anxiety’ becomes a thing of the past.”
