Macquarie researchers develop device to turn electric vehicles into EV chargers

The Driven

A new device developed by researchers at Australia’s Macquarie University aims to tackle the problem of what to do if faced with the awkward situation of a flat electric vehicle (EV) battery.

Running out of juice with a fossil-fuelled vehicle is not exactly convenient but has a pretty standard approach to getting out of jail – grab a jerry can and hightail it to the nearest service station or call your local roadside service for help.

Even if the 12 volt battery in your internal combustion engine (ICE) car goes flat, roadside services can get it going again and it will then recharge off your alternator if you go for a decent drive.

But the same is – currently – not as straight forward with an electric vehicle battery.

Take Dutch EV road tripper Wiebe Wakker for example, who when faced with a flat EV battery in the middle of the Australian desert, had to wait three days in searing heat until he found someone who could tow his vehicle far enough to use his converted VW Golf’s regenerative braking to add enough range to get to the next roadhouse.

Seyedfoad Taghizadeh has led a team of researchers at Macquarie University in creating a new device that lessens the inconvenience of running out of range.

To read the full story on RenewEconomy’s electric vehicle dedicated site, The Driven, click here…