[bsa_pro_ad_space id=14]
There could soon be a roadside assistance service in Australia for electric cars that run out of charge.
The distributor of Chinese BYD electric cars in Australia has outlined plans for a new service that will come to the rescue of vehicles that have run out of charge on the side of the road.
Known as EV2U, the new business venture – led by Luke Todd, the CEO of Australian BYD distributor EVDirect – is said to consist of a fleet of vans that can give a stranded electric car a short burst of power to reach a nearby charging station.
The network of EV2U vans is due to roll out across Australia this year, according to Mr Todd – however few other details of the program are known.
In a response on social media to video of a driving-range test of a BYD Atto 3 electric car, Mr Todd said: “If you had ran out of charge we could (have) sent one of our EV2U mobile charging vans which could have topped you up with 10km range.”
“We will roll the EV2U mobile chargers out nationally during 2023 to minimise range anxiety and improve overall usability of (electric vehicles).”
It is unclear if the EV2U service is affiliated with BYD, and if will be exclusive to BYD vehicles – or if it will be available to drivers of all electric-car brands.
It is also unknown how the energy will be produced – either by a petrol or diesel generator in the back of the van, or a large battery pack charged off-site. Drive has contacted Mr Todd for further details.
If it expands to the scale Mr Todd claims it is planned to, the EV2U network of electric-car rescue charging vans would be the first of its kind to be available nationwide.
However, it would not be the first in the country – as the RACV motoring club in Victoria announced last year it would begin trialling a similar service in its home state using retro-fitted roadside-assistance vans.
More than a decade ago, in 2011, the RACV’s New South Wales equivalent, the NRMA, conducted a similar trial for six months with one roadside-assistance vehicle in Sydney.
The NRMA’s website shows this service was never implemented on a mass scale – and stranded electric-car drivers that call for NRMA roadside assistance will be offered a tow-truck ride to the nearest charging station, or their destination.
Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family.
Read more about Alex Misoyannis
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=15]