1 week ago
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A new initiative is encouraging owners of electric cars to provide their vehicles to communities suffering power outages following natural disasters.
Electric Cars
Communities could soon have a fleet of electric vehicles turning up to power critical infrastructure during a major power outage.
A new initiative from Mycar Tyre and Auto is encouraging owners of electric cars with Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) capability to sign on to help during natural disasters – and the company leading the charge with a dedicated Kia EV6.
Named Charger, the Mycar program will deploy electric vehicles to help power communities in the event of a natural disaster.
While not all electric models have V2L capability, the feature allows the vehicle's batteries to power appliances, such as phone chargers, water pumps, freezers, or medical equipment like dialysis machines.
"We have had no power for two days, three nights. The V2L system has been running our fridge, deep [freezer], lights, charging appliances, internet Wi-Fi and the odd appliance like toaster and coffee machine," one BYD owner wrote on Facebook at the time.
"Car was charged to 100 per cent and now sits at 90 per cent. So at this rate we will be okay for [a maximum of] 20 days on the basics."
According to Mycar, 74 per cent of Australians have experienced a blackout following a natural disaster, with 24 per cent admitting to being stressed during those events.
"We know that many drivers purchase EVs with the intent to reduce emissions and have a greener footprint," said Adele Coswello, Chief Customer Officer at Mycar in a written statement.
"That's why we're encouraging EV drivers to roll up their sleeves and take part in the trial to help support those while they’re getting back on their feet."
The company says it will begin a trial of the Chargers initiative between November 2024 and January 2025 across Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, and Queensland.
Those interested in registering for the Chargers program can visit the website by clicking here.
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Ben Zachariah is an experienced writer and motoring journalist from Melbourne, having worked in the automotive industry for more than two decades. Ben began writing professionally more than 15 years ago and was previously an interstate truck driver. He completed his MBA in Finance in early 2021 and is considered an expert on classic car investment.
