The Royal Automobile Club of England may be the oldest rescue service in the UK, but it is upgrading. It is shaking off its stuffy image and engaging electric. In fact it may even be able to teach us a lesson ‘across the pond’ in North America. That’s because the RAC is converting six of its over 2,000 patrol vehicles into first aid electric cars.
First Aid Electric Cars Replace Recovery Vehicles
We learn something new every day in our search to bring you breaking news. Today, Electric.com tipped us off that you may not be able to tow an electric car. This is because this could damage the traction motors that generate electricity through regenerative braking.
It’s also a bad idea to let an electric car battery run down completely. This can reduce performance if you do so often by damaging the cells. Nissan says the only choice is shifting the car onto a flat bed. However, Renault and Tesla say it’s okay to tow their electric cars with the front wheels off the ground. These were inconvenient secrets until the automobile club released its first First Aid electric cars.
Providing Sufficient Energy to Reach a Charging Point
“The challenge was to develop a mobile EV-charger system which fits into our normal patrol vehicles without compromising on space.” So says Chris Millward, the club’s head of roadside innovation.
“So we can still carry all the normal parts and tools. We want our patrols to continue fixing four out of five vehicles at the roadside.” Chris therefore decided to ignore the temptation of larger generators able to fast charge fully. Instead, he opted for a lighter, compact version able to provide a quick top up. This aligns with the tradition of providing sufficient fuel to reach the nearest pump.
We support this initiative. In fact, we hope his innovative electric car first aiders will go a way towards eliminating electric car range anxiety completely.
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Preview Image: RAC Mobile Charging Unit in Action
