Hydrogen power company AFC Energy has today (Thursday 5 December) announced the launch of its “zero-emission” electric vehicle charger based on hydrogen fuel cell technology.
The Surrey-based firm claims the system will overcome EV charging issues in places where electricity supply from the grid is poor, providing these areas with efficient charging services.
The portable device, called AFC Energy H-Power, will be available in three standard configurations, and can be scaled up to provide 100 charge points to a single site.
A recent study commissioned by ScottishPower discovered that nearly £100bn ($130bn) of new investment is required if the UK is to meet its EV deployment targets.
AFC Energy CEO Adam Bond said: “It can no longer be denied that EVs have become part of today’s mainstream automotive experience, but there are many areas where infrastructure is constraining mass deployment.
“Our system is independent of the grid and delivers EV charging in the most remote off-grid locations or in highly populated urban areas where supply is over-subscribed.
“With this system, we provide a solution to support the industry’s emerging need for a national network of EV charge points.”
Electric vehicle charging system from AFC Energy designed to meet the need for rapid charging points
With fleet operators and commercial vehicles progressively moving towards electric, the need for large-scale rapid charging systems are growing.
In some instances, this demand cannot be met with the current grid without localised upgrades.
AFC Energy’s system is designed to meet these needs by delivering an EV charger that can be safely fuelled using a variety of hydrogen sources, allowing for rapid charging rates when and where it is required.
The company claims it can be operated in conjunction with or completely off grid or grid.
It forms part of a AFC Energy’s modern technology strategy which aims to enable customers to map out a path to net-zero carbon emissions.
