In a globalized world with a sustainability outlook, Electric Vehicles (EVs) play a significant role for a green future. The International Energy Agency (IEA) report predicts that EV sales are expected to grow at 35% Year-over-Year (YoY) [1]. A report from GlobeNewsWire forecasts that the global EV market size is expected to rise at a CAGR of 17.8% within the period of 2023-2030.
Currently, the EV charging facilities are still at its nascent stage. Most of the EV charging is done at home. However, to keep up with the growing demand for EVs, it is necessary to have public charging stations.
Even though governments have outlined several plans and mandates for EV charging stations, companies are yet to meet the desired requirements. Estimates say, in India, charging stations need to grow at least nine times to meet the current demand for EVs [3], and in the US, there is a need to increase the speed of charging station installations by almost three times before 2030 [4]. However, many companies are using mobile EV charging facilities as an alternative option, known as Charging as a Service (CaaS). This helps them meet the demand for charging EVs more easily and quickly.
But the main question is, do we really need a mobile charging station?
Data shows that considering the cost, and meeting the demand of quick charging during emergencies, the answers incline towards the positive side. However, there are always obstacles, which cannot be avoided. Building a good infrastructure takes time, and everyone agrees with this fact. On the other hand, there are scarcity of transformers and chip shortages, which are affecting the building of charging infrastructure, globally. For example, in a few extreme rural areas in India, it may be difficult to find mobile signal, and expecting EV charger in those areas can be impractical. However, survey indicates that people from rural areas are speeding up the EV adoption.
Taking the cost into consideration, there can be a significant difference between a static charging point infrastructure and a mobile charging station. An average Level 2 charging unit (EVSE) will cost around $19,200, excluding yearly maintenance, land and other overhead costs. On the contrary, a portable EV mobile charger price starts at $6500, excluding the carrier such as a car or minivan.
A smart AI and IoT enabled EV mobile charging system will enable a hassle-free life for people, who plan to buy EV in near future, or are willing to buy but uncertain about the charging facility/roadside assistance/emergency. The charging infrastructure will definitely improve in the coming decades. However, there are impending questions on the growth of charging points in the rural or semi-urban areas. In view of this, a smart mobile EV charging system will be beneficial to EV sellers, charging solution service providers, battery sellers, and many others.
System Structure
The charging system will be entirely managed by EV Management software. It will provide an overall view of the operation, and work as a hub and spoke model, connecting to the customer’s mobile devices, vehicles and the service provider. Based on the data gathered by the software system through vehicle movement, it will create some infographic matrix, which will be used for further vehicle optimization and other necessary operations.
The Vehicle Management system will inform the user about:
- Vehicle performance (graphically).
- Amount of carbon dioxide emissions saved.
- Best eco-friendly speed to get maximum throughput and extend the longevity of batteries.
- Exact kilometer the vehicle can cover in a certain charge.
- Nearby charging service providers’ details.
- Safety measures.
- Nearby other details such as restaurants, shopping malls, hospitals, public restrooms, and so on.
The entire system will assist the users in finding a way to charge their devices, whenever they do not have access to charging points. The software system is a real-time program that will automatically connect the customer to service provider, when the battery goes down to a certain level and needs to be charged to reach a specific location. Also, a customer can request for an on-demand charging requirement, and the service provider will immediately connect the customer to the nearest charging van. While the charging is on, the customer can engage in various recreational activities available in the charging van. After finishing the charging process for an EV, the charging vehicle will reach to the next requested EV. The charging van system is a smart vehicle system, and has a sustainable infrastructure. The charge to the battery unit is done through solar-to-energy, waste-to-energy, or other renewable energy production systems.
Following are the benefits of this solution:
- On-demand, fast, and convenient charging solution
- Energy and time saving by reducing the travel distance for reaching a particular charging point
- Cost reduction
- Optimization and enhancement of vehicle life
- Assistance during emergency
- Value on sustainability and increased efficiency
- Increased safety by reducing accidents for hurried recharge
Until now, multiple companies have started to create a mobile charging ecosystem all over the world. SparkCharge, a US-based company, established a CaaS operation network nationwide as a fleet service, and many renowned automobile companies have collaborated with SparkCharge [8]. A charging solution company in the US, EV Safe Charge, has initiated mobile EV charging solutions for every individual [9]. Many Indian start-ups, such as Repos Energy, Urja Bio System, Hopcharge and BatX Energies have started to launch mobile EV charging solution in India.