Powerbank was created to increase the power reserve of the electric car (2 photos + video)

One of the main problems holding back widethe adoption of electric cars is the low capacity of their batteries, and as a result, the limited range of autonomous travel. In addition, the urgent problem remains the availability of recharging batteries. Startup from France EP Tender proposed an obvious, although not perfect, way to extend the battery life of electric cars - by installing an additional battery in a small trailer with improved aerodynamic characteristics.

Presented by EP Tender enthusiasts, the prototype is currently equipped with a 36.5 kWh battery; in the future, it is planned to increase the car power bank capacity to 60 kWh.

The original solution was demonstrated atMOVE2020 mobile electronics exhibition in London, where the battery trailer was shown paired with Renault Zoe, which has its own battery with a capacity of 52 kWh (cruising range 390 km). Earlier, the same startup was already developing a solution when a diesel installation was installed in the trailer to generate electricity for the car’s main battery recharging.

The developers plan that the trailer will beuse on long trips out of town, and in the city the electric car will move using its own batteries. It is planned to use a network of rental battery trailers, which will simply be replaced at stations located along tourist routes, and discharged trailers will remain on recharge. The price of the trailer, which allows to expand the radius of travel of a standard electric car, is 11 thousand dollars.

Considering the scheme of creating a network of rental stationsalong popular tourist routes, EP Tender specialists calculated that when renting a total of $ 37, the payback period for the work of 4150 trailers and 60 thousand users will be about three years and the company will start making its first profit in 2024.

Source: electrek