Volkswagen presents its "power bank" for electric cars

The charging spaces for electric cars are not free from innovation, and Volkswagen has just demonstrated it with a project that will make charging possible even during power cuts. And that is one of the main drawbacks of charging points. In reality, without electricity there is no possibility of refuelling, because the pumps at petrol stations also run on electrical power. But there is a solution for traditional petrol stations and also for electric car charging points: energy accumulators.

Batteries can be used to have electricity when it does not come through the traditional grid, and charging can keep going at least until the charge runs out. For that reason, Volkswagen has been preparing a new system of charging points for electric cars that not only uses the electricity that reaches them, but also has a battery that allows it to keep charging the electric car if the supply is cut.

A portable battery to charge the electric car

These chargers, which can also be portable, have a power outlet that allows the car and the battery built into them to be charged. It is a 360 kWh battery that can deliver charging at a maximum power of 100 kW. These charging points are already in service and will be used not only as fixed charging points, but also as portable charging points that can be moved and installed temporarily.

At present there are nine charging points of this type enabled in the area of the city of Wolfsburg, although Volkswagen plans to have three more that are mobile. These will be installed at events and in situations where extra charging points are needed due to heavy use, such as fairs, trade shows and other specific occasions. As they will have power without being connected to the grid, they will be able to operate without problems.

This system has another advantage. For equipping these portable charging points, a battery already used in a car can be used and given a new life. The useful life of these batteries may mean they are no longer valid for powering the car, but even though their charging capacity decreases, they can store a considerable amount of energy to use as this electric car power bank.

The cost of charging is also lower, since the batteries can be charged during the hours when electricity is cheapest and used when needed. Something that can be very practical for making charging an electric car even more practical and convenient.