Plug-in electric vehicles like the Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Volt, Mini E, Tesla Roadster, and do-it-yourself conversions, are slowly starting to become mainstream. There may not be any more infamous GM EV1s on the roads, but don’t be surprised to see an electric car getting charged at your workplace, shopping mall, or neighbor’s garage.
As you probably know very well from driving your gasoline-powered car, things get pretty ugly when your car poops out – whether that’s caused by a dead battery, running out of gas, or something far worse. Electric cars are starting to see this happen, and for those that handle these problems, they need specialized training and technology. First responder emergency teams (such as paramedics) are being trained in handling electric car crashes. They need to know how to quickly and safely assist car passengers inside vehicles that are very different than what they’re used to.
But what happens if your electric car poops out on the highway, and you’re two hours from home? Call a tow truck? That’s where AAA has stepped in, announcing that its roadside assistance trucks are capable of fast charging stranded electric vehicles.
During the Plug-in 2011 conference in Raleigh, NC, AAA said electric vehicle drivers can get a 15-minute jolt of either Level 2 (240-volt), or Level 3 (480-volt) fast charging to get them to the nearest charge point. And there’s good news for Californians – AAA says it will roll the trucks out initially in Los Angeles and San Francisco; beyond that, Portland, Ore.; Tampa Bay, Fla.; and Knoxville, Tenn. Other areas will follow later.
For the fast chargers, the standards haven’t yet been finalized, like they have with Level 1 and 2 stations. So far, only the Nissan Leaf and the upcoming Mitsubishi i are the only electric cars that can use the fast chargers.
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