Trailer-mounted mobile charging station
Until now, electric cars could only recharge their batteries at fixed charging stations. DLR’s mobile charging station offers drivers more flexibility. Powered by a fuel cell system with a hydrogen tank, it is compact enough to fit on a car trailer. The DLR Institute of Vehicle Concepts is building a working demonstration as part of the L3-BW research project ‘Laden, landauf, landab für Baden-Württemberg’ (‘Charging, up and down the state of Baden-Württemberg’).
Mobile charging stations can be used to improve the charging infrastructure for battery-powered electric vehicles on a large scale. They can be used to charge electric cars, e-bikes or even cargo bikes. This can benefit rural areas in particular: mobile charging stations can be used wherever a powerful grid connection is not possible or too expensive.
The high-pressure tanks of the DLR mobile charging station can hold up to 3.5 kilograms of hydrogen, which the fuel cell system uses to generate the charging current. An average electric car can be charged for a distance of around 300 kilometres with one full hydrogen tank.
The mobile charging station can be refuelled at any hydrogen refuelling station. It is then ready for use in a matter of minutes. All you need for transport is a conventional car with a tow bar. As a result, the maximum weight of the mobile charging station is 750 kilograms.
The fuel cell system of the mobile charging station is modular. It is a powerful, environmentally friendly and quiet power source for countless applications. DLR is also preparing to certify the mobile charging station for road use.
Link:
German Aerospace Center (DLR)
Institute of Vehicle Concepts
Markus Kordel · Email Markus.kordel@dlr.de
