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Blink Mobile Charger is a Virtual Gas Can for EVsBlink Mobile Charger is a Virtual Gas Can for EVs
The Blink Mobile Charger will give EV drivers the opportunity for a quick roadside recharge.
2 Min Read
Image source: Blink Charging Co. |
While range anxiety, the concern of running short of electrons before reaching your destination, has been a common worry of drivers contemplating an electric vehicle purchase, another question is what happens if you do run the car’s battery dead.
Run a combustion car out of gas and a can of gas will get it going again so you can get to a gas station. But there’s no extension cord long enough to reach a stranded EV, and charging the battery takes time, which typically means that a dead EV gets an expensive ride on the back of a tow truck.
Miami’s Blink Charging Company has an alternative solution. It is a portable generator specifically set up to charge electric vehicles in need of a boost. Despite its compact size, the Blink Mobile Charger packs a powerful electric punch, with 240-volt AC charging up to 9.6 kilowatts.
That’s enough for a charging rate of one mile per minute, which is plenty quick to soon send the dead EV on its way to the nearest charging station or the driver’s home charger. The Blink Mobile Charger is compatible with all-electric vehicles, including all Tesla models.
“This new mobile charger is tremendously innovative, and I’m excited for our Blink members and all EV drivers to experience its ability to help them when they need a charge the most,” said Michael D. Farkas, Founder and Executive Chairman of Blink. “Roadside assistance companies, insurance companies, auto manufacturers, and even credit card companies offer their members, customers, and cardholders roadside services. The Blink mobile EV charging station provides yet another valuable emergency service for its members and all EV drivers.”
It surely beats having to load the car onto a tow truck for a ride to a charging station. There is no word yet on pricing or availability.
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Dan Carney is a Design News senior editor, covering automotive technology, engineering and design, especially emerging electric vehicle and autonomous technologies.
About the Author
Dan’s coverage of the auto industry over three decades has taken him to the racetracks, automotive engineering centers, vehicle simulators, wind tunnels, and crash-test labs of the world.
A member of the North American Car, Truck, and Utility of the Year jury, Dan also contributes car reviews to Popular Science magazine, serves on the International Engine of the Year jury, and has judged the collegiate Formula SAE competition.
Dan is a winner of the International Motor Press Association's Ken Purdy Award for automotive writing, as well as the National Motorsports Press Association's award for magazine writing and the Washington Automotive Press Association's Golden Quill award.
Dan, testing the 2025 Aston Martin Vanquish. ANDY MORGAN/ASTON MARTIN
He has held a Sports Car Club of America racing license since 1991, is an SCCA National race winner, two-time SCCA Runoffs competitor in Formula F, and an Old Dominion Region Driver of the Year award winner. Co-drove a Ford Focus 1.0-liter EcoBoost to 16 Federation Internationale de l’Automobile-accredited world speed records over distances from just under 1km to over 4,104km at the CERAM test circuit in Mortefontaine, France.
He was also a longtime contributor to the Society of Automotive Engineers' Automotive Engineering International magazine.
He specializes in analyzing technical developments, particularly in the areas of motorsports, efficiency, and safety.
He has been published in The New York Times, NBC News, Motor Trend, Popular Mechanics, The Washington Post, Hagerty, AutoTrader.com, Maxim, RaceCar Engineering, AutoWeek, Virginia Living, and others.
Dan has authored books on the Honda S2000 and Dodge Viper sports cars and contributed automotive content to the consumer finance book, Fight For Your Money.
He is a member and past president of the Washington Automotive Press Association and is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers.
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