RAC begins rolling out faster emergency EV chargers to patrol vans

Fifth of its patrol fleet to be fitted with EV Boost chargers by the end of year

RAC begins rolling out faster emergency EV chargers to patrol vans

The RAC has begun rolling out a faster version of its engine-powered emergency charger for electric cars.

The modern-day equivalent of a fuel can for electric cars, RAC EV Boost has been uprated from 3.5kW to 5kW to increase the speed of charge for members who either run out of charge or encounter faulty charge points.

The new charger is capable of adding around 10 miles of range in around 30 minutes or less.

Last May the RAC further underlined its position as the number-one for EV breakdown cover by signing an exclusivity agreement with the specialist engineering company that designed and developed the lightweight and compact RAC EV Boost charger which weighs just 35kg.

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The RAC is now on track to have 200 RAC vans – around a fifth of its patrol fleet – fitted with EV Boost chargers by the end of the year with as many as 130 of those being the new faster 5kW units.

Now having succeeded in producing the new 5kW RAC EV Boost unit work is underway on perfecting a 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.

RAC chief operations director Paul Coulton said: “Having been the first breakdown company to come up with a practical and efficient solution to giving an emergency charge to a flat EV and being the only roadside assistance company in the UK that can use this pioneering British-designed technology, we’re really excited to be speeding up the charger to 5kW so we can save members even more time.

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“And we aren’t stopping there as a 7.5kW version is our next target.

“While we’ve put the UK’s first electric breakdown van into service in the form of a Renault Zoe, there isn’t currently an electric van on the market that can do everything that a diesel-powered one can in terms of towing broken-down vehicles and carrying 500 tools and parts.

“So, even though we’re using a diesel van to recharge an electric car, we’re confident 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.

“This is also why our emergency mobile chargers had to be compact.”

2 Comments

  1. Seesh what a waste the rac vans will be going through alternators like no February 30th.

    All that extra weight is damaging the environment more than the electric “no emissions “ vehicle

    To provide that much power needs something special bet they few grand each.

    Then thick heavy cables to get the power in/out

    Run out of juice in low emissions zone get diesel van pumping out

    Rac/aa charge if you run out of fuel. They should charge like a wounded bull for this service.

    Would have been better just drag each dead one to somewhere

    By time sat at side of road for 10 miles worth, dragged onto a truck & took further away!

    Reply
  2. The 1st generation 2019 dmax’s with the 3.5kw chargers are they getting upgraded/fitted with the new 5kw chargers to improve charge and work times?

    Reply

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