Nomadic Power Presents Range Extender Trailer (w/video)

Nomadic Power (often referred to as eBuggy) is a company from Germany that is developing range extender trailers for highway rental systems, which would enable electric cars to have infinite range.

The main concept is to use a high capacity battery trailer instead of a long range EV and then to find available fast charging stations along the route. When you need to do a long trip, you just rent the trailer and leave it at another station.

"Nomadic Power will offer Nomad batteries for rental at major arterial roads across the country. And, Nomadic Power enables the utilisation of clean energies: Pick up an Nomad at a highway fast charging station and exploit the electric energy of the Nomad. Return the Nomad to a station in your destination area. Drive with your own electric car battery within your destination area. It's so easy. Let's change the look of highway traffic."

The concept egg shaped version with an 85 kWh battery pack could extend the range to over 500 km or 300 miles. On the Nomadic Power's website, we find 40 and 60 kWh versions and this, of course, reminds us of the original Tesla Motors battery pack options.

Features of the Roadside Assistance Nomads:

• Roadside recharging
• AC and DC fast charging
• For all electric car models
• All standard plugs
• 40 – 60 – 85 kWh.

It's unclear if Nomadic Power can directly deliver power supply, as vehicles available on the market don't have the option to charge them while driving, nor do they have a special connection inlet for external power sources like trailers. We believe that this is a serious obstacle for now.

Nomadic Power stated that to use the stations, first users will need to buy and install a special connection kit compatible with the trailers.

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The trailer itself probably will be limited in terms of top speed. We found that an early prototype was homologated in Germany for 100 km/h or 62 mph (however, the final version could be rated at a higher speed).

How does it work?

You’re driving with your electric car in the city or for commuting. Now, you want to make a long range or a highway ride:

• Hitch up a Nomad battery at the first highway service station and drive with the electric energy of the Nomad range extender.
• Return the Nomad battery at a service station in your destination area.
• Drive with your electric car battery in your destination area.

The Nomadic Power offering

Nomadic Power is currently establishing a network of locations at highway fast charging stations.

• You can register with Nomadic Power at the purchase of your electric car or at any time later.
• You will receive an Nomad kit for updating your electric car for Nomadic Power.
• You will be able to pick up an Nomad battery at every Nomad station.

Technological Background

In technical terms, the Nomadic Power is a so-called on-demand range extender. It will be hitched up to an electric car for long-distance travel. Nomadic Power works in the following modes:

• Working mode: the Nomad battery is hitched up. The Nomad battery enhances and recharges the traction battery of the electric car.
• Recharge mode: The Nomad battery is recharged at the service station.
• Smart grid mode: The Nomad fleet works as a grid-integrated virtual power plant.

Nomad will be developed as an external range extender with a powerful lithium-ion battery for energy storage – focusing on a future with a purely electrical infrastructure. Nomad is licensed in Germany for a travelling speed of 100 km/h.

Nomadic Power exchange has many advantages compared to other battery-changing concepts:

• Low-cost exchange stations
• No need for expensive automated robotics
• Standard recharge systems are sufficient
• Manual handling possible.
• Very low capital expenditures at the exchange station.

Bonus - Testdrive with very first prototype from a few years ago:

"The first lap has been completed. The Nomadic Power prototype was finished and has proved successful. Nomadic Power is starting the second lap: test series development and network trials."

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