In this era of electric vehicle and “range anxiety,” it had to happen. AAA has unveiled North America’s first roadside-assistance truck with the capability of charging electric vehicles. (By the way, it’s powered by an internal-combustion engine.) After deploying trucks like this one nationwide, the motor club will be able to come to the rescue of its members with depleted electric-vehicles and provide Level 2 and Level 3 charging on the roadside.
During a news conference at the Plug-in 2011 Conference and Exposition, AAA announced that it will initially deploy the trucks with mobile electric-vehicle-charging capability in six metropolitan areas across the U.S. as a pilot program: Portland, Oregon; Seattle; the San Francisco Bay area; Los Angeles; Knoxville, Tennessee; and the Tampa Bay area. The phased rollout will begin later this summer and continue into the fall.
“As the electric-vehicle market continues to emerge, AAA is ready to help alleviate some ‘range anxiety’ with the ability to provide a charge to electric vehicles on the roadside that gets drivers back on the go quickly,” says Marshall L. Doney, AAA automotive vice president.
John Nielsen -- AAA director of auto repair, buying services and consumer information -- explained that the pilot program will include AAA Roadside Assistance vehicles equipped with different technologies that will be used to provide mobile charging capabilities and allow the motor club to evaluate multiple technologies in different environments around the country. The AAA Roadside Assistance truck unveiled at Plug-in 2011 is powered by Green Charge Networks and features a removable lithium-ion battery pack for mobile charging. Other vehicles will be equipped with generators powered by alternative fuels and other power sources. The trucks will provide stranded motorists with 10 to 15 minutes of charge time, which will allow the vehicle to drive 3 to 15 miles to a charging station where they can further charge their vehicle.
