Earth Notes: On Ubitricity EV Mobile MPAN Magic (2017)
Updated 2024-09-22.
Learn how electric vehicle (EV) charging can work for town and city homes without driveways. A simple clever idea! #EV #cleantech #ubitricity
Like many city dwellers I have no driveway to park on. So nowhere of my own to plug in an Electric Vehicle (EV). There is a streetlamp in the car park near us though. I could use that with ubitricity's clever scheme. (It would be even better to charge from my own solar PV, if I could!)
2017-07-11 I had the good fortune to be at a cleantech pitching session beside Knut, founder of ubitricity. I am a fan of part of his plan to take over the world. The part that happens to make owning a small electric car (an EV) more plausible for me.
I have never owned a car. I do sometimes drive. (Likely more miles outside the UK than in it!) Our upmarket conveyancer was horrified that we had no guaranteed parking for our new house. To which I replied that we did not have a car. He was horrified!
Clever Cable, Tag-along Tariff
The ubitricity scheme provides a smart charging cable for your car. The cable contains an Internet-connected meter. The cable connects you to power in the lamp post. It also connects to an appropriate domestic tariff. Just as if you were carrying around your home electricity meter with you. But without the rather long extension cable! You are billed as your mobile phone is, for usage, wherever you are.
That tariff could also reward charging at grid-friendly times.
The charging cables are locked at both ends. Thus hard to steal.
Your home electricity supply meter comes with an identifier called an MPAN (Meter Point Administration Number). An MPAN normally implies a fixed building and location. The ubitricity MPANs are mobile.
Street lights typically draw 100W. But their wiring can handle many kilowatts. Enough to provide a fast charge. Faster than from a domestic 13 amp (13A) socket in fact. So plan to plug in overnight on your street. Or for a top-up while visiting shops. Or even at work. You'll be sorted!
Now ubitricity can convert any London lamp post to a charging point in minutes. Magic!
All obvious in hindsight. As any really good idea often is.
