Volkswagen offers first glimpse of its mobile EV charging station

VW claims these mobile charging stations will have quick charge functionality and work as 'power banks' for EVs, and the pilot phase of the project will begin in the first half of 2019

Volkswagen Group Components, a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group, has revealed its ambitious future plans to develop a network of its mobile EV charging stations, which the company claims will be as convenient as using a 'power bank' to charge up a smartphone. As per the company, these mobile charging stations can virtually be set up across any location in the city and each one will provide DC quick charging at up to 100kW. The station will have two AC and two DC outlets, enabling up to four vehicles to be charged simultaneously. Further, each charging station houses a battery of 360kWh which, according to VW, should be sufficient for charging 15 EVs (at maximum battery storage level).

The battery of the mobile charging station itself can be charged through a direct power connection at up to 30 kW, or it can even run on a permanently attached power supply of the same rating, wherein the battery of the charging station will perpetually recharge itself. Explaining further advantages of the mobile charging stations, Mark Möller, Head of Technical Development at Volkswagen Group Components, said, 'It is only when an electric car is charged with sustainably generated power that it can claim CO2-neutral mobility. Our charging station is the first to offer the possibility of temporarily storing sustainably generated power.' What this means is that other than direct charging, these mobile charging stations can also be powered through solar or wind energy, which in turn can be utilised to charge the EVs.

In order to create the necessary charging infrastructure to convince buyers to opt for the brand's upcoming I.D. family of EVs,  the first set mobile quick charging stations will be set up in the first half of 2019 in Germany. By 2020, the project is expected to go into full-time production and will accordingly be expanded to more locations and cities.