AAA To Address EV Range Anxiety With Mobile Charging Trucks

Just the Facts:

• AAA will begin deploying electric-vehicle mobile charging units in its roadside assistance fleet
• The AAA trucks will be equipped with high-capacity "quick" chargers.
• The auto club will give details about its plans next month at the Plug-In 2011 Conference & Exposition.

ORLANDO, Florida — The American Automobile Association (AAA) says it will begin deploying electric-vehicle mobile charging units this summer in its roadside assistance fleet, a move that should take some of the sting out of "range anxiety" for EV owners and lessees.

The national automobile club and emergency-services provider said it will unveil its new mobile-charging trucks and provide more details on its plans next month at the Plug-In 2011 Conference & Exposition in Raleigh, North Carolina.

In a presentation to the Electric Drive Transportation Association, AAA said it expected to "begin initial deployment in select cities across the country later this summer" in order to address the concerns of "the emerging electric vehicle market."

AAA's initial rollout of the mobile charging units will take place in August in California, Florida, Georgia, Oregon, Tennessee and Washington, AAA spokeswoman Christie Hyde told Edmunds' AutoObserver.

Range anxiety has been widely debated by both EV proponents and critics, many of whom suggest that a large country like the United States, where urban centers are miles apart, isn't suited to widespread electric vehicle use given the current level of battery technology.

Nissan, which introduced its battery-electric Leaf earlier this year, addressed the issue in a brief Q&A on its U.S. Web site. It posed the question: "If you run out of power will an 'AAA' tow truck have a recharger or would you need to be towed to a recharge station?"

The response: "We're exploring roadside assistance possibilities. The car will be equipped with a telematics system called CARWINGS which will help you find charging stations before this happens." Notably, Nissan is testing a mobile charging service for Leaf drivers in Japan.

Inside Line says: At best, AAA's mobile charging plan is a stopgap solution until better batteries and more robust onboard chargers are available.