autoevolution
 

ZipCharge Incorporates the Go Powerbanks Into Charging Stations Called GoHubs

ZipCharge is pretty confident about its Go Powerbanks. After the company presented its 4-kWh storage devices in November 2021, the company now presented GoHubs, which are charging stations based around its suitcase-like power banks.
ZipCharge GoHub 9 photos
Photo: ZipCharge
ZipCharge GoHubZipCharge GoHubZipCharge GoHubZipCharge GoHubZipCharge GoHubZipCharge GoHubZipCharge GoHubZipCharge GoHub
As we told you back in November, the Go Powerbank can provide 20 miles (32 kilometers) of charge in 30 minutes. The company is only taking pre-orders of the device so far. When it is available, clients will be able to lease it for €49 ($51.86 at the current exchange rate) per month.

ZipCharge did not state how much it would cost to buy a Go Powerbank: it only mentioned it would be similarly priced to a high-speed home charger. A quick search indicates you can find them for around $300.

What GoHub does is allow five Go Powerbanks to be used in each unit. Instead of leasing or buying one, you just pay £1, €1, or $1 for the 4-kWh charge with no connection fee. You just have to have the app and be around one of those GoHubs. The company wants to offer 100,000 stations worldwide by 2030.

Their main advantage is that they can be installed in a parking space. In fact, you can have four GoHubs in a single parking spot. Each single-sided unit offers five Go Powerbanks. If you expand a station to four units (as the video below shows), you can have 20 mobile charging devices in a single spot.

ZipCharge claims a GoHub can be installed anywhere, even in places without energy. Each GoHub may generate its own energy thanks to solar panels and “innovative wind turbines suitable for both urban and rural environments developed by Flower Turbines in the Netherlands.”

You can also connect them to the grid. In that case, the Go Powerbanks can work as a more extensive power bank to help “provide resiliency to the local grid.” In other words, it can charge at low-demand times and give energy back to the grid at peak demand. As long as electric cars in need of juice can have it through the Go Powerbanks, that’s more than ok.

ZipCharge said the GoHub might work in favor of any community in which its stations are installed. They can have rainwater harvesting, Wi-Fi hotspots, green living roofs, or any other convenience the people living close to them repute convenient.

If you are concerned about charging your EV with a suitcase-like charger, ZipCharge told us it is after the peace of mind for its customers. Each Go Powerbank needs authentication to work. You can disable it remotely through the app, just like you can deal with a stolen mobile. When the Go Powerbank is charging a car, its cable locks both to the charger and the vehicle.

Go Powerbanks have movement alarms, GPS tracking, and, most of all, an intelligent design. The battery modules are welded, and the electronics are bespoke to the company. In other words, neither the batteries nor the components have any second-hand value. On top of all that, ZipCharge offers a “ring-style” replacement guarantee. If the charger is stolen while on charge in a public space, ZipCharge provides you with a new one.

That’s an exciting proposition to owners of electric cars or plug-in hybrids with limited ranges. According to the company, the Go Powerbanks should be available by the fourth quarter of 2022.

If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Gustavo Henrique Ruffo
Gustavo Henrique Ruffo profile photo

Motoring writer since 1998, Gustavo wants to write relevant stories about cars and their shift to a sustainable future.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories