Blink Mobile Charger is a Virtual Gas Can for EVs

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.