One of the biggest barriers to EV ownership in the UK is access to convenient and practical charging. This is especially so for some car owners who don’t have their own driveway or designated parking space. Apparently, the inability to charge near, or at home, is the main reason many people are currently reluctant to go down the EV route. That is why a new, very nifty innovation for portable charging, has recently caught NOVO’s attention.

With electrification at the top of our agenda, NOVO has been doing some research into EV charging solutions. As a leading broker for electric car insurance in Britain, it is something that regularly crops up in conversation with the rapidly growing number of EV owners who insure their vehicles with us. One of the products that we think could be especially handy for EV owners is the Go, launched at COP26 by portable EV charging experts, ZipCharge.

The Go from ZipCharge is an ingenious portable charging bank that we believe, could be a salvation for many an EV owner who has difficulty in finding a regular EV charging spot. The size of a compact wheeled suitcase, with a retractable handle, the Go can be charged at home or elsewhere using a standard domestic plug.  

This lightweight portable power bank is designed to be wheeled to the EV, where it is plugged into the charging port and hey presto, in little over 30 minutes, it provides up to 20 miles (32km) of range. A great back-up for anyone who owns a fully electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle.

ZipCharge says it is on a mission to “democratise EV charging by removing the main barrier to electric vehicle ownership”. The launch of the Go, ZipCharge’s first mass production product, is a step towards this. It gives EV drivers the freedom to charge their vehicles anywhere they park.

So, let’s look at some numbers. According to an Ofgem survey in 2021, 38% of participants said they were not likely to buy an EV in the next five years, with 59% worried about being able to charge at home.  ZipCharge also reveal that 8.5 million or 40% of car owning households in the UK do not have their own designated off-street parking, making ‘charging at home’ a real issue. Our electric car insurance specialists at NOVO believe the launch of the Go could be a real game changer for EV take-up.

ZipCharge says it also has “ambitious plans to develop new products that will help to transform the EV ecosystem, making electric vehicle ownership a possibility for everyone.”  The company has recently appointed global growth and investment specialist advisors, Mouve and Co, to explore new opportunities to boost this vision and evolve its products, on its quest to be a leader in EV charging and smart energy management.

The on-sale date for the Go is yet to be released, which ZipCharge says will be offered as hardware-as-a-service.  Zipcharge says it has developed a range of smart portable chargers from 4-8kWh that are “compact, affordable and connected, providing sufficient range for most daily driving.” The chargers can be purchased outright or on a monthly subscription basis.

Here at NOVO EV insurance, we embrace all innovations that support EV charging initiatives, and we think this could open many doors to a new wave of EV owners.

If you need insurance for your EV, then please call NOVO, the electric car insurance specialists, to find out how we can help.