RAA unveils new electric patrol van and 7kW mobile EV charger
23 January, 2024
The Royal Automobile Association of South Australia (RAA) unveiled on Wednesday a new electric patrol van, a Peugeot E-Partner, as well as a 7kW mobile EV charger which will service the metropolitan Adelaide area to help EV drivers with a flat battery.
The Peugeot E-Partner van is being leased to RAA by CarBon Leasing & Rentals as part of a six-month trial that RAA hopes will inform the long-term transition of their patrol fleet.
This is particularly relevant considering that RAA’s patrol fleet of vehicles accounts for roughly 80% of its Scope 1 emissions and approximately 7% of all RAA’s emissions.
Transitioning to electric patrol vans will dramatically help reduce RAA’s overall emissions.
RAA Chief Executive Officer Nick Reade said that the Peugeot E-Partner patrol van will be out servicing members from this week. For those in South Australia looking to spot the new electric patrol van, keep an eye out for a splash of green on the back of the vehicle.
“Electric vehicles are the future of motoring, and we’re excited to be trialling the new Peugeot E-Partner van over the next six months,” said Reade.
“As one of the founding members of the South Australian government’s Fleet Pledge Program, we are actively transitioning our corporate fleet to electric vehicles.
“This is a first and significant step for RAA in transitioning our patrol fleet to an all-electric one.”
“Electric vehicles are the future of motoring, and we’re excited to be trialling the new Peugeot E-Partner van over the next six months,” said Reade.
“As one of the founding members of the South Australian government’s Fleet Pledge Program, we are actively transitioning our corporate fleet to electric vehicles.
“This is a first and significant step for RAA in transitioning our patrol fleet to an all-electric one.”
RAA’s emergency mobile charging service was also launched this week on a similar six-month trial basis and is designed in part as a way for RAA to help South Australians tackle range anxiety.
“We know thousands of South Australians are thinking of making the switch to an EV and one of the main barriers is how and where they will charge,” said Reade.
“At RAA we’re well on the road to solving this problem – both through this new mobile charging service and the statewide EV charging network, RAA Charge, which is set to be complete in 2024.
“From this week, South Australian EV drivers will have the confidence that if they do run out of charge on the road, we’ll be there to rescue them with our emergency mobile charging device.”
RAA confirmed on social media that its mobile EV charger will be capable of providing drivers with 10 kilometres of range in under 15 minutes – “enough to get them to the closest EV charging station, mechanic, or their home.”
The mobile EV charger, which will be operated out of a dedicated RAA patrol van, will be based at RAA’s Mile End site and charged “using 100% green energy, obtained by buying renewable energy from an energy retailer.”