Can You Charge an Electric Car With a Power Bank? (5 Benefits)

Say goodbye to that range anxiety! Phone power banks, we all have heard. But what about a power bank for your EVs? Yes! EVs can be charged with power banks but not with your phone power banks.

EV power banks are also known as Portable chargers, aka chargers on wheels, with a capacity of 3kWh to 9 kWh. Such DC fast chargers have big-size battery packs known as the Power Storage System(PSS). It can be mounted on vans, mini trucks, or mobile wheel frames and connected to any inverter/converter and pin CCS charging cable or ChadeMo system required to make electric vehicles charge in reality.

Its purpose is to provide emergency fill-up to the battery, sometimes at the roadside, at home, or office, etc. it’s not very portable due to its size, but with advancement, it has become more feasible.

How Does an Electric Car Power Bank Work?

The power bank comes with energy monitoring meters and smart controls for owner customization via an app provided by the company. A portable power bank consists of a particular battery inside a special case with a specific circuit that controls the flow of electricity. You can store electrical energy (deposit it in the bank) and later charge your electric vehicle (withdraw it from the bank), usually conducted from mains. Energy is saved and transferred to the commissioning device if necessary. Portable and convenient, right?

To facilitate this operation, the power bank consists of the battery and advanced electronics that manage all these operations.

5 Benefits of a Power Bank

These are the benefits of using power banks for your EVs:

1. Free From Range Anxiety

The main issue people have with EVs has always been range. What if the charge runs out on a long trip? There is no charging station in sight. Like fuel-powered cars, your cant carry electricity, or can you? Now you can let your range anxiety rest. With portable chargers, if you run out of battery on the road, you can get your power bank out of your trunk, and it will offer you a 20-ish mile range, just enough to get you out of a bind and to a rapid charger.

2. Unit Control

Most portable chargers have a mobile application that includes different software to give you control over your charging. Unit control software is one of the perks of power banks.

With the help of this software, the user can optimize the charging duration with a mobile application. The number of power units they want to charge, and the time they want to charge. App also includes a suite of security features, such as user authentication and the ability to remotely monitor, track and disable the charger from the user’s mobile phone. The charger company provides the application. Right now, Go chargers offer these features in their charger.

3. No Stand-in Line

The dread of waiting in lines at a charging station can easily be avoided by having a power bank. Charge your EV and power banks at home. You can bring out your portable charger and charge it on the spot if it runs out of charge. No need to go to a charging station or wait in lines! The power bank is the size of a suitcase. You can easily carry it in the back of your EV for a wait-free journey cause time is money.

4. Security

When it comes to public chargers, they don’t ensure safety. There can be viruses that can corrupt your EV system. EV cars provide safety features, especially Tesla, which will not charge if the charger doesn’t seem secure. But better safe than sorry. Further precautions hurt no one. You don’t have to stop at public charging stations with your power bank. You can set your power bank from home and later charge your EV with the same power. Secure and efficient!

Also, a power bank gives you the security of having power in a crisis. If you run out of power during a storm with no power source in sight, your power bank can charge your car enough to get you out of the crisis place.

5. Useful During Power Interruption

There could be a transformer issue or a natural crisis that can cause a power outage. In this situation, charging your EV might be an issue. You can keep your power back-charged for such emergencies. Some Power banks can even give charge to your appliances during an outrage (for further information, here). Also, you can help someone else in need by charging their EV or can be handy in some medical emergency to power medical appliances.

How Many Manufacturing Companies Have Launched Power Banks

Powerwall | Tesla

In 2021, Tesla was able to install 200,000 Powerwalls. With a storage capacity of 13.5kWh, Powerwall is a portable battery system installed with solar. It can power heavy equipment. It has a revenue-grade metering system that can help you monitor your production and usage.

Volkswagen’s Mobile Charging Station

Just like we have portable batteries for our cell phones, Volkswagen has introduced a portable battery pack that can be used to charge electric vehicles. This technology would benefit large festivals (like Coachella ) that happen out of the city, making it an easy option for EV owners to replace the portable battery with a fully charged battery as soon as it drops to 20%. Alternatively, the charging package can be attached to a regular power source, like a standard charging station.

Volkswagen designed this power bank to be carbon neutral as this charging station can be charged with renewable energy sources such as solar or wind power. The charging system works with its existing electric vehicles, like the VW e-Golf, and will also work for the upcoming VW I.D. electric vehicle family.

ZipCharge Go

ZipCharge promises to bring portable EV chargers to market by the end of this year. It’s about the same size as a small suitcase and includes wheels and a retractable handle (just like a suitcase), which is good news as it weighs around 50 lbs. When fully charged, it offers between 20-40 miles of range depending on the EV, and takes between 30-60 minutes to transfer that charge to a vehicle’s battery using a standard Type 2 cable. The ZipCharge Go is compact, with a power output to be 7.2kW. The expected price is $2000, but it will also be available to rent for $67 a month.

ZipCharge Go is expecting to launch two chargers, one with a power capacity of 4 kW and one with 8 kW.  You can time your charging by connecting your EV to the power bank and controlling it with an app. (for details, check here)

Blink Portable EV Charger

Blink, a well-known EV charging company, has unveiled a portable device you can own for a significant amount ($6500). The Blink Portable Charger ranges up to 1 mile/minute. The size is almost like a medium generator, and the power output is 9.6kW.

Read: What Is a Level 4 EV Charger? All You Need to Know

Alternative to a Power Bank

Carrying a heavy power bank might not always be the most feasible option. Here are a few other choices that might help you

Wireless Charging

Wireless charging uses the principle of electromagnetic induction to transmit electrical power through the air acting as a magnetic field. The system requires two sets of hardware: a transmitter attached to the power source in the driveway and a receiver pad installed at the bottom of this vehicle. With an efficiency of over 90% to 92%., it’s excellent for day-to-day use and covers long ranges without cables.

Though this seems like a great option, it’s all talk of the future as it’s only starting its path in the automotive market in the US. For now, only Mercedes-Benz has confirmed wireless charging for a production model, the low-volume S550e plug-in hybrid luxury sedan.

Solar Charging

Longer ranges with no charging stations have bought dire need of power banks, but solar charging installed in cars can do this for you. Almost all EV companies offer solar installations. Charging your vehicle with solar might be a great option, especially for this blazing summer.

Again the issue would be not sunny weather, but for that, you can store charge, solar energy is free and efficient,

More Charging Stations

More charging stations could quickly solve half of the EV issues. More charging checkpoints throughout the country is an immediate need.

Conclusion

Power banks are a more comfortable and less complicated option. You can charge on the go like your phone power banks, which makes charging more casual and hassle-free. But it certainly has its drawbacks, from price to fewer options as its newer technology, sometimes the weight of the charger or its charge-holding capacity. In the end, weigh your pros and cons, and take the deal more beneficial for you. Power banks, indeed are a helpful technology.